


I'm Someone Who Loves You

by SubtextEquals



Series: Agron and Nasir's Romantic Dramedy [1]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2014-05-10
Packaged: 2018-01-24 04:52:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 40,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1592315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SubtextEquals/pseuds/SubtextEquals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Nasir's freshman year at college and he has a lot to deal with, including Agron, who is loud, swears constantly, falls asleep in class, and manages to accidentally break Nasir's nose. This isn't how he planned to fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started as what was meant to be a one day, goofing off fic and turned into this monster.
> 
> Huge, huge thank you to my beta, gedre-yashel, to whom I am forever indebted.

Nasir first saw Agron while they were waiting outside of their English 101 class. The door was locked and one by one the students gathered around it, sharing glances with each other. Nasir was considering taking out his iPod when Agron came up, backpack slung over one shoulder. He managed to make Nasir feel a full foot shorter just from being in his presence and extremely lacking in muscles by comparison.

He watched as the newcomer’s eyes swept over the other students and, when they landed on Nasir, he smiled and held his gaze for a few moments before he found a place to sit on the floor.

When the teacher finally came Nasir took a seat in the middle of the class, not up front where he would draw attention but not directly in the back where the teacher might look to make sure people were paying attention. No, he was obscured in plain sight.

The tall, muscular man, who had a generous amount of stubble, took a seat directly behind him. That, of course, meant he would be sitting behind him all semester, unless things worked differently in college than they did in high school. Nasir didn’t know. It was his first day.

The class was uneventful. This was one of the teachers who just did an introduction on the first day and Nasir was relieved when they were let out early.

He had just reached the door leading to outside and his hand went to grasp the door handle when he heard a voice behind him.

“That lasted for fucking ever.”

Nasir glanced behind him to see the man who’d sat behind him. He quickly took out his phone and glanced at it. “It took about twenty minutes. It’ll be an hour long class. Do you think you can survive?” He opened the door and held it for Agron. They both stepped into the sunlight.

“I don’t know. I don’t like James Joyce.”

“I’ve never read him.”

“I did in high school. All I remember is I fucking hate him.”

Nasir shrugged. “You’re in the wrong class.”

“Fucking requirements.” The man grumbled.

Nasir started to head left.

“See you Wednesday.” He heard the other man call.

Nasir’s next class went the full length of time. After the teacher made them exchange emails with another student, in the event they were sick, (Nasir now had the email address of a woman called Naevia), he went right into the subject at a speed that made Nasir sure his hand would be cramping by several weeks into the semester.

By the time he ran into Chadara, who he had gone to high school with, she was lounging on one of the fields and laughing with some guy she obviously had her eyes on. Never let it be said she didn’t start early.

“Rhaskos says there’s a party next weekend at his frat. Want to come?”

“Sending out invitations already?”

“Special treat for you freshmen.” Rhaskos said.

Nasir considered it. “Yeah, why not?”

 

He might have had plans for the next weekend but he still had a lot of classes before then. His history teacher had announced a History Club meeting that Friday and Nasir needed some extracurricular activities. He’d also taken AP history and liked it far better than any other subject so he might as well. But mostly it was the promise of free pizza.

As for English again, that was… going to be an experience.

About halfway into the class he could hear his “friend” snoring faintly behind him. Aware that the man was going to get himself in trouble if he got much louder, Nasir kicked back with his foot to give the guy’s desk a jolt. Sure enough, the snoring stopped. Nasir went back to taking notes.

Once again, when class was over and he was about to leave the building, he heard a voice behind him.

“Did you wake me up?” He still sounded drowsy.

“You were snoring.” Again, Nasir held the door open for him.

“Yeah, sorry.” Though he didn’t sound terribly. “Thanks.”

“I would’ve done it for anyone.”

They were about to reach the path where they’d parted before.

“Well, thanks.” A pause. “Can I borrow your notes?”

Nasir rolled his eyes and turned left.

 

When Friday came Nasir was so tired of going to his classes that he overslept and had to rush to his English class with barely enough time to change clothes.

“Set an alarm next time, little man!” His roommate Lugo yelled after him.

But by the time he arrived at his class he found one person standing outside it. The tall man.

“It’s locked.” The man said before Nasir could question him.

“What’s the time?” Nasir started to pull out his phone as he asked, still a little breathless from his run.

“Hell if I know.”

Nasir glanced at his phone. “10:10.”

“Fuck, she should be here. Where is everyone?”

Nasir held up his finger, then tapped his phone to check his email. “Class is canceled. She’s sick.”

“Fuuuuck.” Agron ran his hands through his hair, succeeding in making it stick up in odd directions.

“What are you complaining about? You don’t have to sit through an hour of that crap.”

“That crap?”

Nasir smiled. “Are you kidding? I hate James Joyce.” He made to leave.

Heavy footsteps indicated that the other man was following.

“Agron.”

“What?” Nasir glanced back.

“My name’s Agron.” He was smiling.

“Nasir.”

“Nasir, you know there’s this party—”

“Yeah, I know.”

When they approached the door this time Agron caught up to him and opened it for him.

“They have beer.”

Nasir only had to duck a little beneath Agron’s arm to get through. “I know. I’m not dumb.”

“Just little.”

Nasir could _hear_ the grin. He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. “Don’t call me that.” He said before stalking off.

 

Nasir didn’t have much to do until noon, when the History Club meeting was. In the end he went back to his dorm and, feeling self-conscious about not having started reading for his history class, started in on that.

He ended up with his head on his book.

“Little man having trouble?” Lugo laughed.

Not looking up, Nasir held up one finger. “Do not call me that.”

“Why read now? Why read at all?”

“Because some of us want to get good grades.” Nasir sat up straight but closed his textbook. He pushed his chair back and rubbed his eyes. “Fuck it. I’m going out.”

“Find some hot girl to distract you.”

Nasir smiled and shook his head. “Not interested.” He made for the door.

“Oh.” Lugo said. “Then find some hot guy.”

 

It took Nasir a few minutes longer than it should have to find the room where the club was meeting. As he opened the door he had to suppress a groan. Why did Agron have to be there? Leaning back in some shirt that clung to him and laughing with a group of men that were similarly well built. He thought this was a History Club not a meeting for athletes. In fact, if he hadn’t seen his history teacher, he would have assumed he had the wrong room.

The poor teacher seemed resigned to the fact that he was going to have a room full of rowdy men (though Nasir did see Naevia).

“Nasir.” Agron nodded and gestured to the empty seat beside him.

Nasir did not sigh. He did not sit beside Naevia as he briefly considered. He was not going to make a scene because this man sat behind him in English class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Agron seemed dead set on befriending him. Instead Nasir indulged him and took the seat by him.

Agron turned to his friends. “Nasir is in Glaber’s English class with me.”

“Which Glaber?” A burly man with a beard asked. He was seated directly next to Naevia, with their chairs pushed together. “The husband or the wife?”

“The wife.” Agron answered.

“Better her than him.” A man with blond hair as long as Nasir’s laughed.

“Gannicus.” The lone teacher in the room sighed.

It was not Gannicus who apologized but a man sporting copious stubble but with his hair cropped short.

“Sorry, professor. It won’t happen again.” He spoke calmly and in a way that gave Nasir the sense that this was the person in charge of the group.

At least until Gannicus proceeded to flip him off.

Nasir thought back to the promise of free pizza, wondered if it would come, and also wondered if he would be able to leave soon.

He wouldn’t. The pizza arrived approximately halfway, carried by a dark haired woman who gave the “leader” an affectionate glance.

Somehow in the middle of the swarm for the pizza, Nasir managed to grab a few slices.

The teacher seemed to have given up on them and so they were left to their own devices. In the conversation that followed, Nasir learned the names of this group (Spartacus, Gannicus, Crixus-- he assumed these were all nicknames-- and Mira). Spartacus was the president. Crixus vice president. Gannicus… Nasir had no idea what Gannicus was and Agron was, surprisingly, secretary.

These seemed to be honorary positions. Naevia and Spartacus were the only one who took things seriously, Spartacus giving him a helpful talk about what they did (basically get together and watch movies and sometimes organize some educational talks from local historians), and Naevia told him that she would collect his dues if he decided to join.

Nasir wasn’t so sure about it. On the other hand, there would be free pizza every Friday so he forked over the ten dollars.

 

It was late August but still warm so Chadara brought out two towels to lay on in the field that stretched between two rows of buildings. Nasir lay on one, staring up at the clouds while Chadara kept talking about her “stupid classes” and how she was borrowing Rhaskos’s notes for one.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“It’s not his notes I’m after. He gets his notes from this other-- _oh._ ”

Oh?

Nasir pushed himself up and looked in the direction Chadara was staring.

“Oh.” He echoed.

There were seven people playing soccer not far from them: three women, four men, and Nasir could tell even from a distance, from the frame alone that one was Agron. As they came closer, dribbling the ball, he saw that it was the same crowd from the history club plus a blond haired woman who looked like she wanted to tear the ball apart instead of kick it. Or maybe tear apart her friends. Nasir wasn’t sure which.

Then Agron had the ball and with one powerful kick it came flying at Nasir. Before he could duck it struck him directly in his face.

“Aw fuck.” His hand immediately went to his nose to see if it was broken.

“Fuck!” He heard Agron shout, followed by a shocked “Nasir?”

“Son of a bitch.” Nasir muttered. He couldn’t tell if his nose was broken but there was blood flowing down from it and that was not a good sign.

Chadara pressed a bunch of tissues from her purse into his hand and Nasir shoved them up his nose to block the flow. Unfortunately that meant he had to breathe through his mouth. He glared up at Agron.

“You are such a dick.”

“I’m sorry, I--”

Nasir waved his hand. “Don’t-- it’s fine. I’ll-- head to the health center.”

“I’ll go with you.” Agron took a step closer.

“No,” Nasir said quickly. “No. Stay here and practice your aim.” Nasir pushed himself up with one hand, the other pressing the tissues to his nose.

Chadara gathered up the towels and followed him.

“I’m sorry!” Agron yelled after them.

“What an asshole.” Nasir grumbled.

“But a hot one.” Chadara looked back as she spoke.

 

Nasir did, in fact, have his nose broken and he was infinitely grateful that with his student insurance he wasn’t charged anything. He wasn’t told to do much of anything. It wasn’t a bad break so they shoved some gauze instead of tissues up his nostrils and told him to sleep with his head elevated. Then they gave him some tylenol and sent him on his way.

Chadara laughed at him once he stepped into the waiting room. “Some sight you are.”

“See if I hang out with you again.” He started walking to the door.

Chadara fell into step beside him. “Then why talk to me now?” She opened the door and started. “Oh, hello.”

There was Agron, waiting for them and holding a bottle of aleve in his hand.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I brought you--” He paused when he saw the tylenol in Nasir’s hand. “Well uh, now you have two.” He offered it to Nasir.

“...Yeah, thanks.” Nasir took the bottle with his free hand.

“So look, I’m really sorry. Sometimes I get carried away.”

“And hit pedestrians,” Nasir said dryly.

Agron’s jaw clenched and the muscles around his eyes tightened. “Forget it.” He walked off.

Chadara and Nasir both stared after him in confusion.

“So he can handle being called a dick and he can’t take that?” Chadara took the aleve from Nasir’s hands. “Hey, if you don’t want medicine from the hot asshole--”

Nasir grabbed the bottle back. “I don’t hate him that much.”

 

Between his nose, which was still sore, and Agron’s 180 degree turn, Nasir was not looking forward to his morning class on Monday. 

He took an aleve, walked to class, and found everyone waiting outside for the teacher. Agron was there and immediately looked away from him.

Still mad then.

Class seemed to take forever. Nasir didn’t know if it was his imagination or he could feel Agron glaring at the back of his head. He just knew that he wanted it to be over with as soon as possible, and not only because the subject itself was boring.

Agron was right behind him as they left the class but he didn’t say anything. Nasir had thought he would have preferred it that way but instead he felt guilty for some reason.

No, fuck that. Agron broke Nasir’s nose. He was the one who should be guilty, the douchebag. Still, Nasir habitually held the door open for him as they left. No reason to stoop to his level.

However, about a quarter of the way through their class on Wednesday, it occurred that Nasir that they were going to have to sort out their differences if he wanted to get back the ten dollars he spent on a year’s worth of pizza.

This time as they walked to the door, Nasir turned and blocked it.

“You’re the one who broke my nose. Why are you pissed at me?”

“Fuck off.” Agron tried to push Nasir aside, obviously holding back as he didn’t actually knock him over.

“There’s a History Club meeting on Friday. I paid ten bucks to join. I’m not going to not go.”

“I’m not stopping you.” Agron lightly shoved Nasir’s arm.

Nasir stubbornly stepped back in front of the door. “You’ll make things weird.”

“That’s your fucking problem.” Agron snapped.

“ _You_ broke my nose! What the fuck did I say?”

“My brother was killed in a hit and run!” The words came out in a yell and the few students that had been walking past them stopped and stared.

Nasir froze. “O--Oh.”

_And hit pedestrians,_ Nasir had said.

“Oh shit. Agron, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, then you’ll let me pass.”

Nasir quickly stepped out of Agron’s way. As soon as the door closed behind the man, he pressed his hand to his forehead.

“Shit.”


	2. Chapter 2

Once again, Professor Glaber was late and Nasir stood in the hall, idly straightening the papers in his hands. A few minutes later, Agron arrived and kept as far away from Nasir as possible. It was up to Nasir to close that distance.

“Here,” he said as he held out the papers.

Agron stared at them with a look that was a mix between baffled and disgusted. “What’s this?”

“Notes. You know, for all this crap.”

Agron looked at him dubiously. He took the papers and flipped through them. He stared at the words for a moment.

“Thanks,” He said quietly, tucking the papers under his arm. “Nasir--”

At that moment the teacher came strolling past them and Agron fell silent.

After they had all taken their seats, Glaber stared at them all. Then her lips curled into a smile that told Nasir nothing good would follow.

“As we covered in the syllabus, every now and then we will be having unannounced quizzes.” She took a bunch of papers from her satchel. “Today will be our first one.”

“Shit.” Agron swore.

Glaber’s smile broadened. “We will see if your grades amount to that.”

Once he had the quiz in his hand, Nasir was grateful he’d spent the night copying notes for Agron. Even then some of the questions were worded in a way that he had to read it twice. After taking half a minute to understand the first one, he started writing.

“Fuck.” Agron muttered.

He wrote some more. Then moved on to the second one.

“Fuck.”

Much as Nasir sympathized with Agron’s plight, that was getting distracting.

Third question.

“Jesus fucking--”

Nasir kicked back at the desk behind him. Agron got the message and shut up.

For about five minutes.

“Shit fucking son of a--”

Nasir rolled his eyes.

After the quiz and the following lecture, as they were leaving, Agron continued his verbal onslaught.

“What kind of bitch gives us a pop quiz on the second week of class?”

Nasir assumed that Agron was talking to him, as they were walking side by side, so even if his notes had come too late at least the gesture had not gone unappreciated.

“The kind who makes us read James Joyce.”

“What were those damn questions?”

“Really convoluted.”

“Fucking shit.” Agron made a growling noise.

Nasir opened the door for him and stepped outside.

“Hey, Nasir.” Agron’s tone was a little less hostile and a little more fumbling. “I sometimes overreact so I’m--”

“You broke my nose. Consider us even.”

Agron laughed. “Still think I’m a dick?”

Nasir stopped and turned back so he faced Agron. He smiled. “A huge one.”

Agron grinned. “Yeah, well maybe you could--”

It was at that moment when Nasir heard Lugo shout.

“LITTLE MAN!”

Nasir did not groan nor roll his eyes but he did go stony faced as he turned back to face his roommate. “I told you not to call me that!”

“Little man, I found a hot guy for you! His name is Castus!” His speech was slower than usual and uneven.

“Oh for fuck’s-- Lugo, are you _drunk_? Don’t you have class in ten minutes?”

“Class is for losers!” Lugo proclaimed loudly as he raised both hands in the air.

Nasir shook his head and looked back at Agron, who looked like he was holding back a laugh.

“My roommate, he--”

“Is very fucking amusing.” Agron clapped his hand on Nasir’s back. “Better get him back to your room. See you later, little man, if that Castus doesn’t steal you away.” He walked away, turning right.

“Don’t call me that!” Nasir yelled.

 

It had been nearly impossible to get the bulky Lugo back to their dorm. The last thing he wanted for his roommate was for him to get arrested for underage drinking by strolling around the middle of campus, with teachers walking about, acting unmistakably drunk.

In the end, Nasir had managed to take the necklace he wore, with what looked like Thor’s hammer attached to it, and waved it in front of him, then sprinted back to their room with Lugo running as hard as he could after him.

He was lucky that Lugo was a friendly drunk and only tackled him when they were back in their room instead of beating the crap out of him. Unfortunately, he bumped his head and, while Nasir yelled and tried to push Lugo off, he tasted blood on his lips and realized he’d have to go in to the health center yet again to make sure there wasn’t more damage to his nose. And he’d have to do it with tissues shoved up his nose.

Between that and the little man comment, Nasir was back to thinking “fuck Agron” for the rest of the afternoon. Only he was also thinking “fuck Lugo.”

Nasir wasn’t going to risk returning to his dorm just yet so he called Chadara and, in spite of the embarrassment, they met up at Sinuessa, the bar/restaurant on campus that was also furnished with a pool table. Nasir had never played pool before but there was a first time for everything.

Only Naevia and Crixus were there first. Chadara and Nasir sat down on the table nearby and ate while they waited. Nasir watched so he could get a better idea of the game. Neither Crixus nor Naevia looked to be very good but they weren’t terrible either.

“So Lugo tackled you to the floor and hit your head?”

“Accidentally.”

“That’s what you get for messing with the hammer.” Chadara grinned and took a sip of her coke.

“Nasir.”

He looked up at his name and saw that Naevia had noticed him.

“Did you hurt your nose again? You didn’t have gauze in it during our class.”

“Yeah.” Nasir touched his nose gingerly. “Roommate accident.”

“Did he hit you with his balls too?” Crixus asked.

“I believe his balls aren’t big enough.” Nasir replied, not particularly caring if that got back to Lugo.

Crixus laughed and grabbed another cue. “Want to join us?”

“Have another one for Chadara?” He nodded at his friend.

Crixus threw the cue at Nasir, who caught it, before Crixus grabbed another one.

“I’ve never played,” Nasir said.

“We’ll teach you.” Naevia replied and began to show him how to hold the cue. “Break first,” she said when she was done. “You’ll never get an easier shot.”

Nasir managed to sink one ball into the corner, out of sheer luck. The rest of the game, however, went poorly for him.

“Looks like someone can’t handle balls.”

“I’ve heard several accounts saying he handles them just fine.” Chadara said.

Nasir leaned over the pool table as he lined up his cue with the cueball. “Generally.”

He couldn’t shake this feeling that between Chadara and Lugo half of the college was going to learn he was gay before the semester ended. He wasn’t worried about it but he didn’t care for having his private life so publicly known.

From where he was standing, Crixus leaned over to whisper something in Naevia’s ear and they both laughed.

Nasir frowned and hit the ball. It missed the the one he was aiming at. “What was that?”

Crixus raised his voice. “I said if only Agron had better luck. He can’t even handle his own balls.”

“Soccer or otherwise?” Chadara asked. She stepped forward to the table while Nasir stood back to watch.

“All balls in both meanings of the word.” Crixus replied.

Naevia elbowed Crixus. “If that gets back to him he’ll break another nose.”

Crixus waved his hand. “Let him try.”

“You have an interesting friendship.” Nasir commented, watching as Chadara shot a ball into the corner pocket.

“He’s Spartacus’s friend, not mine.”

“Hard to avoid him when he’s Spartacus’s roommate.” Naevia commented. “But he’s not that bad. You have to get used to him.”

Crixus scoffed. “Some never do.”

 

“Little man, you’ll miss the party.”

Nasir didn’t bother raising his head or even opening his eyes. He went straight to giving Lugo the middle finger.

He felt the bed bounce as Lugo sat beside him. Then he was being roughly shaken.

“Little man has no sense of humor.”

“Little man wishes you’d stop fucking call him that.” Nasir’s voice was weak.

He’d had a hell of a day. He’d gotten the results of his English quiz back (not good but around 40 points better than Agron). Then he’d nearly been knocked over trying to get his pizza during the History Club meeting and for one terrifying moment Agron’s shoulder had nearly hit him square in the nose. His painkiller had worn off some time during his biology class and he had to struggle to focus on it for a full forty minutes before getting back to his dorm. Then he learned that he had run out of water and really didn’t feel like going to the bathroom sink to get more.

“Castus will be there.”

“If he sees me like this he definitely won’t be interested.” Nasir still hadn’t opened his eyes. “I don’t need you to find guys for me anyway.”

“You’ll change your mind when you see this one. He’s very good looking.” Lugo then added as an afterthought, “for a guy.”

“Some other time. Leave me alone.”

It didn’t matter that Chadara wanted him to do. It didn’t matter that Agron wanted him to go “You know that party? You should really come. Then you can do my English homework after.” It didn’t matter that Lugo was asking him now.

“By the time we get there you’ll feel better and wish you’d gone. There’ll be free beer.”

“Not interested right now.”

“It’ll make your nose hurt less.”

“Nasir!”

Nasir groaned. Not Chadara.

“Nasiiiiir!”

“Just a--”

But he heard the door open and opened to find that Lugo had let his friend in.

“Party time.” Chadara was wearing a pink dress, nothing fancy but it made her look prettier than usual. Actually, pretty damn good.

“Have fun without me.”

Chadara tilted her chin up and placed her hands on her hips. “ _You’re_ going with me.”

“ _I_ need to stay here and take my aleve instead of--”

But Chadara had grabbed his hand and was pulling him up.

 

As soon as they stepped inside the fraternity (because of course it was a frat party and of course Rhaskos belonged to a frat), Lugo went to find the beer. Chadara promised to stay with Nasir until Nasir was drunk enough not to feel the pain in his nose. Then Rhaskos had appeared and she quickly went off with him. Nasir was left standing by himself, back against the wall by the door, wishing his face didn’t hurt so he could actually have some fun instead of standing there like a wallflower.

“Little man!” Lugo came into sight, carrying two cups full of what promised to be sweet, sweet alcohol.

Nasir was too relieved even to yell at him and he immediately took the cup once it was offered, quickly downing it. He hadn’t had a drink in some time, and then not often, but he tolerated the burn in his throat.

“Thank you.”

Lugo laughed at him and clapped his shoulder. “Come with me. I have another gift for you.”

“If this is about Castus--”

But Lugo was already walking further back into the room, pushing through several people, and if Nasir didn’t want to lose the only person he knew, he had to follow.

With his nose still acutely feeling like it had been broken by a soccer ball, Nasir trailed after Lugo. But soon he didn’t feel quite as surly and the pain, while there, no longer seemed all that bad. Reflecting on it, Nasir was certain he’d entered the tipsy stage of intoxication.

He finally saw Lugo chatting with a man.

Nasir stopped. Two thoughts ran through his head at the same time. Not just “this must be Castus” but “oh shit, he’s hot.”

He had far darker skin than Nasir and even though he had on a loose t-shirt, Nasir could see just from the muscles on his arm that he was very well built-- as well as Agron and his friends, if not better. God, those muscles were-- wow.

“Ah, Nasir.” Lugo stepped closer to Nasir, slung his arm around him, and dragged him so that he was in front of the other man. “Meet my new friend, Castus.”

Castus’s eyes passed quite noticeably over Nasir’s body before he looked into his eyes and smiled.

“Nasir.” Castus started then held out his hand. “I admit, now that I’ve seen you I’m jealous of Lugo, to be around you so often.”

Oh damn, Castus moved fast.

Nasir shook his hand, lingering perhaps a little longer than he should have. “You should wait until I’ve had more alcohol before trying to flatter me.” Still, he smiled in response. It wasn’t unusual for him to be hit on but it always felt good, even if the guy was coming on strong and it was clear there was just one thing he was after. It didn’t hurt to be wanted.

“I don’t flatter. I appreciate and with you…” He paused and his smile widened, staring at Nasir with an intense interest. “There is much to appreciate.”

Nasir began to feel the creep of a blush upon his face when he felt someone touch his arm briefly, just to catch his attention.

“Nasir.” Agron was grinning but there was an undercurrent of anger to his voice that made Nasir question if Agron had changed his mind about hating him.

“I didn’t think you’d come.” Agron continued.

“I wasn’t going to until my friends literally dragged me along.”

Lugo thumped Nasir hard on the back. “We weren’t going to let your broken nose hold you back.”

Agron and Castus began to speak at the same time.

“Is it still hurt--”

“You broke your--”

They stopped and looked at each other. Nasir saw the way Agron’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Castus and now understood where his previous anger had been directed at. Nasir had the sense that he had either stepped into a feud or one was starting now for some indefinable reason--

Oh.

He stared at Agron.

All that time it had been him trying to _flirt_? The man was hopeless. Cute and pretty sexy, but hopeless.

“How did you break your nose?” Castus asked, turning from Agron, for whom he’d had nothing but an amused smile.

“Soccer accident.” Nasir replied, keeping his eyes on Castus and off of Agron.

“You play?”

“I used to but wasn’t at the time.” Nasir was acutely aware of Agron at his side. It wouldn’t be polite to mention exactly who had broken his nose.

Of course, Lugo had to make it worse. “Some idiot kicked the ball at his face while he was watching.”

Nasir wondered if the grinding noise he heard was from Agron’s teeth or if he imagined it. The man shifted uncomfortably beside him.

Castus glanced at Agron, then back to Nasir. “A shame but it does not diminish your-- considerable attractiveness.”

Nasir laughed and now he was sure he was blushing.

“Nasir,” Agron said suddenly just as Castus was opening his mouth. “I didn’t know you played soccer. You should play with us some time. I promise you won’t have any more accidents.”

“I should wait for my nose to heal. Speaking of, I could really use some more alcohol. It doesn’t do anything for pain but it’s harder to care about it. Lugo, where’d you get this?” He held up his cup.

Agron grabbed his hand and pulled. “I’ll show you.”

Nasir smiled at Castus before he had to focus his attention on not bumping into people. He pulled his hand free of Agron’s.

“Better this than the keg...” Agron said. He stopped and gestured to the bottles of alcohol, vodka, rum, you name it, resting on a table. “So about that English homework…”

“You weren’t actually being serious about that, were you?” Nasir refilled his cup and took a quick drink.

“No but you could come over. Help me out with it.”

Nasir almost choked.

When he’d imagined college he hadn’t exactly pictured it like this, with two men trying to sleep with him in the first two weeks.

He lowered his cup. “Maybe the library...”

“We could watch a movie after,” Agron said quickly. “My roommate has a bunch of really bloody movies. They’re great. We could--”

“What Agron means is,” began Spartacus, president of the History Club, as he walked up to them, “I have a nice selection of historical movies that include a lot of fight scenes.”

“And half naked men.” Agron added.

Nasir caught the scolding look that Spartacus shot Agron’s way.

“We can also marathon Rome.” Agron suggested. “And eat popcorn. Or we can have chicken. You know, I really like co--”

Spartacus spoke over Agron to drown out that last word. “We can make it an unofficial History Club movie night. You’re our only new member and we would all like to make you feel welcome.”

“Won’t that make it crowded?” Nasir asked, ignoring Agron’s look that alternated between flustered and annoyed.

“We have an apartment.” Spartacus continued. “We’ve done it before. One more person won’t make much of a difference.”

Nasir waited for the joke about his size. It didn’t come.

“Sure. Pick a good one. Agron, we can work out some time to get together to work on your homework.”

Agron looked genuinely shocked but then he grinned. “How about--”

It was at that moment that Castus approached them. “Excuse me, I need more drink. Ah Nasir, I hoped you’d still be here.”

From then until the end of the party Castus had firmly attached himself by Nasir’s side, flirting the whole time and ignoring the way Agron was glaring at him. And when Castus wrote his number down for Nasir, Agron looked like he could commit murder.


	3. Chapter 3

“So, Lugo tells me you and Castus hit it off.”

Despite having had his nose nearly broken again, Nasir and Chadara were lying in the field. Chadara was lying propped on her elbow while Nasir sat, leaning back on his hands.

“Castus wouldn’t stop flirting with me,” Nasir said evenly as he watched his fellow students walk by on their way to class.

“You should be more excited about that. I saw him yesterday. If he weren’t gay…”

Nasir looked over at her and smiled. “That didn’t stop you in the past.”

Chadara tore off several blades of grass and threw them at Nasir. “That was middle school and you were using me as a beard.”

“No, that was me giving in to your persistence.”

Chadara laughed and threw more grass at him. “Heartbreaker.”

Nasir smiled. He wiped the blades of grass from his face. “You broke up with me!”

“Because you wouldn’t kiss me.”

“And now you know why.”

Chadara’s laugh was light and she pushed herself up so that she was sitting. “So, Castus… I believe I saw you blushing.”

“He has a way with words and he comes on _very_ strong.”

“You like him.”

“I have a problem.”

“Agron?” Chadara’s smile turned sly.

Nasir’s face went into a neutral expression. “How did you know?”

“You were blushing at him too.”

“Were you spying on me the whole night?”

“Just for a bit. Nice try to change the conversation.” She giggled and stood, brushing herself off in case any of the grass clung to her. “Time for me to go. Good luck with your problem, Nasir.”

“Later.” Nasir waved her off.

It was just as well. She would have given him terrible advice anyway.

 

By Monday Nasir was able to go without his aleve. Because of that, English class didn’t seem as daunting. Although if he had to deal with more of Agron’s cringeworthy attempts at flirting... though it was almost endearing. Sort of. In a way.

“Nasir!”

Nasir smiled in response. “Hey.”

“Hey. So, still interested in helping me out-- or do you have plans?” Agron’s voice darkened a little at that last part.

“No plans,” Nasir said. He knew what Agron was really asking.

“Then how about we--”

Glaber strode past them and smoothly unlocked the door. The students began to file in line to get in. Nasir shrugged at Agron and mouthed “later.”

Later turned out to come about ten minutes into class when, in a display that made Nasir question whether or not he was in college after all, Agron slipped him a note. It was a torn off scrap of paper and as Nasir looked down at it he half expected “do you like me? Yes or no.”

What was written instead was: Tomorrow 6pm. Coffee first?

Coffee?

Nasir looked back at Agron, but Agron’s gaze went past him and down the row. Nasir turned back just in time for Glaber to grab the note from his hands.

“We’re not in middle school.” She glanced down at the slip of paper,then arched an eyebrow at Nasir. “I wouldn’t do it,” she said casually as she handed the paper back to him. “Not if you have any taste.”

Nasir flushed as he took it back and looked behind him at Agron, who was also red in the face but, judging by his look, from anger.

 _I wouldn’t do it,_ which of course meant Nasir had to.

Nasir had hoped that they would be free to leave directly after class.

“You two, wait.”

Glaber pointed at him and Agron and they had no choice but to walk up to the teacher’s desk.

“What are your names?” She spoke lightly.

“Agron Zimmerman.” 

“Nasir… Johnson.”

Agron glanced at him and Nasir knew he was going to be in for a dick joke when they were out of here.

Glaber pulled out a sheet of the class’s names and marked something next to both of theirs.

“F--”

Nasir kicked Agron’s leg before he could finish that word.

“The next time you act like two love stricken middle schoolers in my class your grades will suffer more.” Glaber smiled. “That’s all.”

Nasir left before she could change her mind, with Agron right behind him.

“Why didn’t you wait until after class.”

“I wanted to know.” Agron spoke grudgingly, finally aware that that was probably not the best decision.

Nasir sighed. “Agron.”

“Yeah, I know.” Agron gave Nasir a hopeful look. “So?”

“Yeah, 6pm works.”

“And coffee?”

Nasir paused then his lips quirked into a smile without his permission. “That works too.”

“Great. There’s a Starbucks--”

“I know.”

Agron reached the door first and opened it for him. His smile turned into a grin. “So, Johnson.”

“That’s not my name.” Nasir snapped.

“You gave her a wrong name?”

“No, I was adopted. I’m Nasir Azar. Johnson’s my legal name until I get it changed back.”

“Adopted?”

“Yeah.” Nasir noted that Agron was probably not going to walk through the door, given that he seemed to be frozen in place, and Nasir walked past him. “When I was four. Car crash.”

Agron finally stepped outside. “So you too?”

“Yeah, me too,” Nasir said levelly.

“I’m sorry.”

Nasir shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I don’t even remember them.”

“But you’re still changing your name.” Agron noted.

“It feels right.” Nasir started to turn left but then looked back at Agron. “Do you have class after this?”

“Yeah, Sports Nutrition. Boring as fuck.” Agron made a face.

“Sports science major?” Nasir asked. He shifted his backpack.

“Yeah.” Agron cocked his head to the side. “Surprised?”

Nasir looked at Agron and the overly abundant muscles on his body. “Not at all.”

Agron laughed and took a step closer to Nasir. “I can give you a work out that’ll leave you sweating.”

Between him and Castus this was going to be impossible.

“I think coffee is enough.”

“I meant the gym. Work out at the gym. I’m going to be a personal trainer.” Agron said hurriedly.

Nasir doubted that was really what Agron had intended but he’d give it a pass. “We’ll start with coffee,” which he was questioning why he’d agreed to. “Have fun in Sports Nutrition.” He started walking away.

“Yeah. Hey!” Agron called after Nasir. “Do you have class?”

Nasir turned around to face Agron but kept walking backward. “Just heading back to my dorm.”

“Walk me to my class!”

“Buy me coffee first!” Nasir turned the right way around again so Agron couldn’t see his lips curl into a smile.

He wasn’t quite halfway back to his dorm when he saw someone familiar start to pass him then fall back beside him.

“I thought my eyes might have lied to me.” Castus was wearing the same pleased smile that he’d given Nasir almost entirely throughout the party. “But here you are.”

“Here I am.”

“Where are you going?” Castus asked.

“My dorm. Cook hall.”

“My apartment is not far from there. Mind if I walk with you?”

Nasir gestured in front of him. “I’ve no problem.”

Castus smiled warmly. “Good.”

Castus’s arm nearly brushed against Nasir’s as they walked.

“I thought you might call me this weekend.” Castus’s voice was casual. “Are you not interested?”

“I was pretty busy this weekend.” Nasir lied.

“Hm.” Castus regarded him. “It wasn’t just an offer for sex.”

Nasir blinked. “What?”

“I wouldn’t mind being your friend.” Castus flashed him that now familiar smile. “But I won’t deny that I’m interested in more.”

Castus might have been the second to get in line but he was not the least persistent.

Nasir looked ahead. “I think my broken nose will get in the way of what you have in mind.”

“As I said, that is not only what I have in mind.”

“And if friendship is all we can have?” Nasir glanced at the man beside him but he still had that cavalier smile.

“Then I think I will value it. There’s one way to find out.”

However hesitantly, Nasir returned Castus’s smile. “There is.”

 

There were several times on the way to the Starbucks on campus when Nasir stopped in his tracks and said to himself “what am I doing?”

Agron was loud, thoughtless, cursed more than anyone he’d ever met, and the worst flirt. In fact, Nasir couldn’t really call it flirting, it was more desperate and crude attempts to try and get Nasir’s attention. Once you gave it that definition, Agron actually seemed pretty successful.

But Nasir had said he would go. He was going to sit through coffee and then help him with English and hopefully it wouldn’t go so terribly that he would regret ever signing up for a first semester English class.

Nasir immediately spotted Agron, waiting outside, carrying his backpack and dressed casually in jeans and a blue t-shirt that looked like it was too small for him. Nasir really didn’t mind that and the view it gave him.

Agron smiled at him. “Hey.”

Nasir returned the smile. “Hey. Were you waiting long?”

Agron shook his head. “A minute or two.”

Nasir glanced through the glass door. “We should get in line before it gets longer.”

“Yeah.” Agron opened the door for him and Nasir stepped behind the last person.

Nasir cast about his mind for what he was supposed to say but instead Agron beat him to it.

“You know my major. What’s yours? Not English.”

Nasir shook his head. “No, undecided.”

“Ah, you’re a freshman. Plenty of time.”

Seeing that the line wasn’t going anywhere fast, Nasir set his backpack on the ground. “That’s what I tell my parents.”

“You really want to upset your parents, major in Sports Sciences.”

Nasir laughed. “I’ll pass. I was never great at sports.”

Agron grinned. “I just learned you can break someone’s nose and still major in it.”

Nasir reflexively lightly touched the nose in question. “Yeah, thanks.”

Agron’s grin vanished. “Sorry, I--”

“No, it’s fine,” Nasir said quickly. “If I had legs like yours I’d probably break someone’s nose if I kicked a soccer ball at them.” He closed his mouth as soon as he’d finished and could not believe he’d actually said that.

Agron’s face brightened right away. “You like my legs?”

Someone had just gotten their coffee and the line moved up. Nasir grabbed his backpack and walked forward. “It was an observation.”

“You could play with me and see them in action.”

Nasir gave Agron a look.

“Soccer.” Agron corrected himself. “You could play soccer with me. Or basketball but, you know, I don’t think that’s your game.”

“It’s not.” The line was moving faster now and Nasir slung his backpack over his shoulder. “Maybe after my nose is better. My roommate already knocked me to the ground and I don’t want a repeat.”

Nasir glanced back in time to see Agron shrug.

“We’ll still be here.”

“I’m curious.” Nasir started. “What’s the story with your friends? I mean your names are--”

“Fucking bizarre?” Agron offered. “Mine’s real. My parents just wanted to give me a pain in the ass name. So is Naevia’s. Crixus is really Chris and Gannicus is David.”

Nasir almost snorted and covered the following laugh with a cough. “David. How did that happen?”

“I don’t know. They’re juniors and I’m a sophomore so they had a year’s start on me with their inside jokes.”

“So what’s Spartacus’s name?” Nasir asked.

“Hell if I know and I live with him. I don’t think even the teachers know.”

“And you all met in History Club because-- it really doesn’t seem like you’re the type.”

“I’m not. I met Spartacus playing basketball and he roped me into it with free pizza.”

Agron tapped Nasir on the shoulder. Nasir turned to see that the line was moving again and it would be his turn to order.

“That’s why I came too.”

“Welcome to college.”

Nasir ordered his coffee (as cheap as he could make it without skimping on what would be much needed caffeine), then stood back while Agron did the same.

As soon as Agron had handed over his money he took what was far too generous to be called a sip of his drink. “Fuck, I needed that. My body always crashes whenever I have to make myself work. Fine with exercise, fine with staying up to God knows when, always when I’ve got to do shit for school.”

As he spoke they took a seat at one of the tables.

“Yeah, I feel like I could fall asleep reading my textbooks-- and James Joyce. I shouldn’t put everything off until the last minute but--”

“But what’s the fun in that.” Agron finished for him.

Talking to Agron was surprisingly easy once the man had stopped flirting with him. Nasir had asked Agron some more about what he was doing at college. They complained some about class. Agron got a few answers out of Nasir about his life at high school and Nasir had let slip that he had spent a year in AP English only to get a 2 on the test due to lack of sleep, leading to him suffering through famous authors with Agron. And, at least for the moment, that didn’t seem so bad.

Then he had to walk Agron through _Dubliners_ and Nasir wanted to bang his head against the book.

“If she gave us easy reading questions this wouldn’t be so fucking hard.” Agron growled.

“Who assigns reading questions in college?”

“That Glaber bitch.” Agron snapped his book shut.

Even with the caffeine charging him, Nasir was too exhausted mentally to argue.

“What time is it?” He asked.

Agron checked his phone. “Nine.”

“ _Nine?_ ” Nasir gaped.

“Nine.” Agron repeated.

“How’d it get to be nine?”

“We spent over an hour talking and the rest of it bleeding from our eyes.”

Nasir rubbed his forehead and pushed himself back up off the table he’d slumped over. “Let’s call it a night.” He grabbed his book and started to put it and the rest of his papers into his backpack.

“Except for the bleeding from my eyeballs I had fun,” Agron said. He too was putting away his things but when Nasir glanced up at him he found the man staring at him.

“Yeah, me too.”

“You know that movie Spartacus was talking about? Still interested?”

“Yeah, sure. What is it?”

“Gladiator.” Agron replied. He left one sheet of paper on the table and grabbed his pen. “My apartment. Here’s the address. You’re not busy at seven on Friday?”

“I’m free.” Nasir zipped up his backpack

“Good. Here.” Agron slid the paper over to Nasir.

Nasir took it, folded it, and put it in his pocket. “Great.”

Agron stood. So did Nasir. They stared at each other and judging from the look on Agron’s face, he was just as uncertain what he was supposed to do as Nasir was. Did study-dates count as date-dates?

Nasir broke the silence. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. See you.”

Nasir grabbed his backpack and left. When he got back to his dorm he pointedly ignored the smirk Lugo had when Nasir walked inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Wednesday wasn’t awkward. That was to say, it wasn’t any more awkward than it usually was, with Agron’s shitty attempts at flirtation. For instance, “thanks for yesterday. I’m better at _other_ things” said with the kind of lewd grin that made Nasir want to roll his eyes but instead found himself smiling indulgently.

This time, when class was over, Nasir did walk Agron to his next class.

By the time Friday came, Nasir began to feel a certain amount of anxiety about this movie night he’d agreed to. He liked Agron but he wasn’t sure he was ready for the implications of being alone in Agron’s apartment to “watch a movie.” But Spartacus had talked with everyone about said movie at the History Club meeting.

“How many times have we seen Gladiator?” Naevia asked in between bites of her pizza. “I swear, it’s your favorite movie.”

“It’s a classic.” Gannicus replied.

“It is not a classic,” Mira said. “And historically inaccurate. Spartacus…”

Agron rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Nasir. “Do you want to watch it?” Instead of lowering his voice, Agron raised it so that everyone looked over at Nasir to wait for his response.

“I haven’t seen it so I don’t have an opinion.”

“He hasn’t seen it,” Spartacus said. “It’s decided. We’re watching it.”

 

Nasir had been on campus for three weeks but he still hadn’t been everywhere, especially the student apartments. So he got a little turned around on the way. Wishing he’d asked for Agron’s number, he cursed under his breath until he finally found the address.

He checked the time right as climbed the stairs to the second floor. 7:10. Well, given that he was the guest of honor, they probably hadn’t started the movie yet. They were also probably wondering if he stood Agron-- them-- up.

As he approached the door he heard voices and a loud laugh that, even with his own limited experience, he could recognize as Gannicus’s. It was usually a safe bet that Gannicus was the one laughing anyway.

Nasir made sure to knock hard on the door so they could hear him.

Within half a minute the door opened. Agron grinned at the sight of him.

“Get lost?”

“I found my way eventually.”

“Some idiot should have given him directions,” Crixus said.

Agron looked over his shoulder. “Fuck you.” He took a step back and turned to Nasir again. “Come in.”

It was cleaner than Nasir thought it would be but, as one would expect, it was a small apartment, and despite what Spartacus had promised, pretty crowded. Crixus and Naevia were huddled together on the floor, Spartacus was on the couch, with Mira seated between his legs with a bowl of popcorn in her lap, and Gannicus was lounging against the side of the couch, pushing his feet onto Spartacus’s lap. The latter did not look happy about this and kept shoving his feet away.

“Gannicus, off.” Spartacus’s words came out as an order.

“Drink piss, this is my seat now.”

“Agron was beside me until he answered the door and Nasir is new and gets the couch too. Off.”

Agron caught Nasir’s eyes and leaned in. “At least he’s not drunk yet.”

“Yet.” Nasir repeated.

Gannicus finally pushed himself off the couch, which didn’t seem to improve Spartacus’s mood. But it was hard to tell with him sometimes.

Agron gestured in front of him to indicate Nasir should take his seat first.

“Oh, we have a gentleman now.” Gannicus grinned. “When did Agron learn manners?”

“About the time you had a dick shoved up your ass.”

Nasir decided it was time to take his seat already and ignore the banter. Agron was just behind him and had soon settled next to him.

“I prefer to put my dick in--”

“Crixus, can you start the movie?” Spartacus cut in.

He grabbed the remote that was lying on the floor and turned the tv on, then hit play.

The movie was… well, it was all right. Nasir enjoyed the fight scenes as they were why the movie was made. It would probably be sacrilege to voice that opinion with these people though maybe Mira would have his back.

But honestly, it was harder to focus on the movie with Agron right beside him, thigh touching his, but Nasir had faith that he wasn’t going to try something stupid like putting his arm around him.

Well, he wanted to have faith.

About halfway through the movie, by Nasir’s estimate, Mira took out her phone.

“Time for me to go. I need to get started on that paper.”

“I told you. It’s Friday,” Gannicus said.

“You’re leaving anyway. Why do you care if I am too?”

Wait. Two people were leaving? Why did Nasir have a bad feeling about this? It wasn’t like they were all leaving.

“Because I’m leaving for a date, not to waste my time.”

Mira huffed and shook her head then stood. “I’ll see you later. Enjoy the movie.”

“I should go too.” Gannicus stood. “Goodbye, my friends. I will not think of you while I’m getting laid.”

“Don’t,” Crixus said.

Laughing, Gannicus followed Mira out.

They continued to watch the movie without any interruption for a while though Nasir kept noting the more Agron’s eyes flicked toward him. He did his best to ignore it and the rush of anticipation he felt at it. It wasn’t like anything was going to happen here, in the middle of Agron’s friends.

After about ten minutes the buzzing sound of a vibrating phone provided the next interruption. Spartacus reached into his pocket and stood to walk from the living room to the adjoining kitchen.

“Mira? … Where? ...Yeah. Alright, I’ll get you.” He hung up and walked back to them. “Mira’s tire blew out. I’m going to pick her up and take her home.”

Nasir blinked. Really? Well, that was some bad luck.

“Be safe. Kill any muggers you run into,” Naevia said.

Spartacus smiled. “I will. I’ll come back later, Agron.”

Agron waved his hand dismissively at his friend.

Spartacus went to the door and then there were four of them. A date was understandable, as was having to work on a paper. A tire blow out could happen. What happened next stretched the limits of his imagination.

Naevia’s phone rang.

She groaned. “It’s my mother.”

“Don’t answer it. The movie’s almost over,” Crixus said.

Naevia got up. “You know I have to. She’ll freak out if I don’t.” She held the phone up to her ear. “Hey, this isn’t a good-- it’s nice to talk to you too but--”

She then proceeded to spend the next minute trying to politely get off the phone with her mother.

Finally, Crixus stood. “We’d better go. They’ll be at this for a while.”

Agron shot a glance at Nasir. “Pity.”

“Yes, I know you hate to see me go. Enjoy the rest of the movie, Nasir.”

“I will. Thanks.” Nasir’s voice was a little numb, mostly because he could not believe this was happening. _All of them_ were gone? Did they plan this?

He watched as Crixus guided Naevia, who was still talking to her mother, outside.

Agron looked at Nasir. “So it’s just the two of us.”

“Yeah…”

Nasir wasn’t sure if he should consider this a curse or a blessing. Well, looking at Agron’s muscles, probably a blessing but they’d just met and it had been some time since he’d…

Agron grabbed the bowl of popcorn lying on the other end of the couch and offered it to Nasir. He grabbed a handful and started eating, then did his best to watch the rest of the movie and not the man beside him.

Given that the main character had just gotten stabbed, Nasir figured that he didn’t have very long before he would have to figure out if he wanted to make out with a very attractive man who had a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth. Of course, Nasir could solve that by sticking his tongue in Agron’s mouth instead.

Oh, fuck it all.

Nasir reached over, grabbed the popcorn, and pushed it out of Agron’s lap. Then he paused, facing Agron, unable to close the distance between them due to the sudden uncertainty that gripped him. But Agron showed no reluctance, reaching to touch Nasir’s cheek at the same time as he leaned in.

Nasir expected something rough and hard but the kiss itself was gentle-- a soft press of lips. Agron’s nose bumped Nasir’s and--

A sharp pain shot up the bridge of his nose and Nasir jerked back.

Nasir closed his eyes as he tried to block out the pain. “Ow. Ow.”

“What--”

Nasir’s hand had gone up to cover his face partly out of instinct partly because he was afraid of Agron going in for another kiss. “Nose. I forgot.”

“Shit. Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Nasir opened his eyes and slowly pulled his hand from his face.

Agron was looking at him with a mix of concern, frustration, and what looked like determination.

Nasir really couldn’t handle determination when it came to kissing right now.

“But we can’t do that now. Check back with me in a few weeks.” Nasir sounded apologetic. He didn’t really want to put a halt to this, even if he didn’t want to take it too far, but feeling like his nose had been stabbed was a distinct turn off.

“What about this?” Agron pressed his hand to Nasir’s neck then brushed back his hair. He leaned forward again but not to kiss him.

Nasir’s eyes widened. “Agron--”

Agron kissed the side of his neck first. Unlike the press of his lips was not gentle and he dragged them across his skin, across to the inside of his throat.

Nasir’s mouth opened but he couldn’t quite gasp. He tilted his head back. His gaze was on the ceiling now. He saw the cracked, white paint that no one had bothered repairing but as soon as he’d taken it in his eyes fell shut.

“Agron…” One of his hands went up to bury his fingers in Agron’s hair while the other grabbed his arm and pulled him closer.

Agron’s teeth scraped against his skin and when he bit down Nasir hissed. His nails dug into Agron’s flesh.

Agron pulled back by a fraction. “Is that good--”

“Yes!” Nasir’s fingers curled around Agron’s hair as he nudged him back into his body. “That’s great.”

Content with that answer, Agron continued to press and drag his lips, licking and biting and managing to make Nasir shiver. He hardly even noticed that he was leaning back more and more until his back was against the armrest and Agron was practically sprawled across him.

Agron pulled away. He gripped the armrest and pushed himself up so he was face to face with Nasir. “Do you want to?”

Nasir was too dizzy to do more than stare at first. Did he want to…?

Oh.

“Can we just…” He started but a thought occurred to him. “This isn’t much fun for you, is it?”

“No.” Agron grinned. “This is great for me.”

“Can we stick to this?” Nasir asked, quickly adding “if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.” Agron kissed his cheek, then his jaw, then his lips trailed down to his throat until he reached the point along his vein where its pulse was strongest and sucked.

Nasir slipped the hand that had been around Agron’s arm between them, not to push him away but to feel his muscles through his shirt, tracing his finger over one pec, then brushing his nipple with his thumb before sliding it down his stomach. Agron moaned and pushed his hips forward against Nasir’s lap but Nasir didn’t go any lower, instead slipping his hand beneath Agron’s shirt and working his way back up to repeat what he’d just done only without fabric between their skin.

Agron drew back and looked into Nasir’s eyes, his own light. “‘Just stick to this?’”

“I thought you should get something out of it.” Nasir was aware that his smile was much wider than he’d intended it to be.

“Oh, I am.” Agron turned his attention back to Nasir’s throat. “I fucking am.”


	5. Chapter 5

Nasir knew he shouldn’t have put off his paper. He gathered his notes everything he’d pieced together about James Joyce and _Dubliners_ and he readied himself to type until his fingers bled.

He was placing his things in his backpack when Lugo looked over at him.

“I can still see it.”

Nasir adjusted his hair so it lay over his shoulder and covered part of his neck. Agron had been a little too enthusiastic on Friday, not that Nasir minded that but he didn’t want the mark he’d left behind to be visible to everyone.

“Thanks for the warning.”

“Do you need a scarf, little man?”

“Don’t--” Nasir sighed. “No.” He put on his backpack and headed for the door. “I won’t be back for a while.”

When he got to the computer library he tried not to spread his papers out everywhere, confining himself to the space directly beside him. It was crowded today: finals time and everyone was rushing to get their last minute essays done.

Nasir took five minute breaks to surf the web and put his face in his hands and wish that he’d finished this paper earlier. He could be out having fun, lying in bed taking a nap, doing nothing. Nothing sounded really good right now. That was exactly what he was lamenting when someone took a seat beside him and he snapped back into the moment, spurred on to at least pretend he was focusing.

“How long have you been cursing God for this assignment?” Castus asked.

Nasir turned and looked at the man that had sat beside him. As if he’d be able to focus now. “About…” He glanced at the clock on the computer. “An hour and a half.”

“Is it due tomorrow?”

Nasir bit back a groan at the reminder. “Yes, it is.”

“As is mine.” Castus took out a binder from his backpack and opened it, sliding out a piece of paper with notes scrawled on it. “Good luck, Nasir. I’m sure a man as talented as you will do well.”

Nasir didn’t exactly know why Castus thought he was talented beyond being a pretty face, but they had talked some about school last week. Honestly though, it was just another pass at him and he couldn’t let himself be distracted.

“Thanks. I’m sure you’ll do a good job too.”

Castus smiled. “We will see.”

Nasir went back to work and eventually put Castus from mind, at least until the other man would start sorting through his papers or leaning back in his chair or generally moving in any way that didn’t involve typing on his keyboard.

After the other night, Nasir felt vaguely guilty for paying attention to him out of the corner of his eye.

Somehow he managed to get through roughly a third of his paper before he had to bury his face in his hands though he was careful to avoid pressing his nose against his palm.

Nasir saved his progress, pushed his chair away from the desk, and grabbed his papers.

“Done already?” Castus asked.

“No, I need a break.”

“So do I, and a drink-- preferably with caffeine.” Castus stopped typing and made a few clicks with the mouse. “Would you like company?”

Nasir had the feeling he shouldn’t but he wouldn’t mind talking to someone to keep his mind off that paper. “Sure.”

He put his things away and grabbed his backpack while Castus did the same, only he had a much more fashionable satchel.

“Let’s go to the soda machine. I don’t have the money for coffee.” Nasir said.

“I do. Consider it my treat.”

Nasir knew better than that. “No, it’s really fine.”

Castus shrugged and flashed Nasir a smile. “Whatever you like.”

Nasir should have found it unnerving how often Castus smiled but he looked too good.

They stepped outside into the hall.

“What’s your paper on?” Nasir asked.

“Resolution of management conflicts.” Castus replied smoothly.

“Oh. Business major?”

“That’s right.”

Nasir was ahead and he looked back in time to see Castus checking him out before raising his eyes to meet Nasir’s.

“What’s yours?” Castus asked without missing a beat.

“Undecided.” Nasir replied, falling back so he could walk beside Castus and discourage him from looking at his ass.

“You should major in business. You’ll have better preparation and more job opportunities when you graduate.”

“That’s what I’ve heard,” Nasir said noncommittally.

“I can tutor you.”

Nasir smiled and looked at Castus. “You really want to spend time with me, don’t you?”

“No one can blame me for wanting to.” Castus’s eyes fell to Nasir’s neck, whose hair had fallen back behind his shoulder.

Nasir quickly flipped it back to cover his neck.

“I’m not the only one, it seems.”

They neared the soda machine and Nasir took out his wallet, not saying anything more but quickly selecting a coke.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“It’s all right.” Nasir grabbed his drink and took a step back so Castus could get his, also a coke.

“I never asked.” Castus began. “What do you do when you’re not slaving over your homework?”

Nasir finished the drink he was taking of his coke. “I don’t do much. I draw some but I’m not any good at it. Mostly just a habit from my high school art class. I used to be really into Call of Duty before I came here. Couldn’t take my Xbox.”

“I have one,” Castus said. “When you want, you can come over and we’ll play.”

“You have the game?”

“Several of them. You’re not the only one who enjoys them.”

That was tempting but Nasir was aware of what had happened the last time someone had asked him to come back to their place.

“I’ll think about it.”

“As I said.” Castus smiled. “When you want.”

“And what do you do other than Call of Duty?” Nasir asked, eager to veer the subject away from the invitation.

“Drink, play, and enjoy life to the fullest.”

Nasir started to laugh. Castus looked over his shoulder.

“Something I think your friend could benefit from.”

Nasir turned and saw Agron at the other end of the hall, glowering at them or rather at Castus. When Agron saw that Nasir was looking at him, he started walking.

“Nasir. I thought you’d be working on Dubliners.” Agron’s face remained hard even when he looked at Nasir.

“I was for around three hours. I had to take a break and so did Castus.” Nasir replied evenly.

Agron could not be jealous over this. They’d been on one date-- two if you counted Friday and that was questionable seeing as they had started out with a crowd of Agron’s friends, even if it ended with Agron assaulting his neck and Nasir feeling him up. And, most importantly, Nasir wasn’t even doing anything with Castus.

“I’m just about to start my paper. If you can help me.”

“Give me a minute. I have to finish this drink.”

“I can wait,” Agron said.

Seriously?

Castus looked between the two of them and quickly finished his coke. “I should get back. We’ll talk more later, Nasir.” He smirked at Agron before stepping past him.

Agron glared at him as he went but the anger faded somewhat when he looked at Nasir. Somewhat.

“What was that?”

“We were talking. That’s all.”

“Talking? He can’t stop flirting with you.”

“I’ve noticed that. It’s not going anywhere,” Nasir spoke firmly.

Agron looked back over his shoulder to where Castus had gone even though the man wasn’t there. “You shouldn’t talk to him.”

It was at that point that Nasir snapped. He didn’t yell but his voice was harsh. He’d had enough of this. “You’ve known me four weeks and I don’t care if you’ve known me four years. You do not get to tell me who I talk to. It doesn’t matter what we did the other night. You don’t control me.”

Agron opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. The anger had faded from his face and he seemed tongue tied at the sudden lack of it.

“I’m not controlling you,” he said.

“You’re trying to.” Nasir’s voice still had an edge to it.

“I’m not!” Agron insisted. “I’m telling you that he’s only interested in sleeping with you.”

“Agron, I know when someone is only interested in sleeping with me. I can handle it.”

“Are you leading him on or planning on--”

“Agron.” Nasir interrupted him with in a calm, even tone. “I don’t think you want to keep talking.”

Agron made a snarling noise but Nasir recognized that it was out of frustration and not directed at him.

“Fine,” Agron said. “I need to write this fucking paper anyway.”

“So do I.” Nasir hadn’t finished his coke but he walked to the trashcan and threw it away, then went back to finish his paper.

 

Nasir was nearly done with his paper when a crumpled up piece of paper fell onto his keyboard. He looked up to see where it had come from and saw Agron at the other side of the room, at his own computer, looking back at him (and fortunately not at Castus, who was still seated beside Nasir). Nasir hadn’t even noticed him before. He’d been focused on his work.

Agron nodded and Nasir looked back down. He unfurled the piece of paper.

_I’m sorry._

Nasir stared at the words then looked up again. He wouldn’t call the look on Agron’s face nervous but it was uncertain.

Nasir looked down at the note again. He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them to judge the distance between them. There were two people between them, one opposite Nasir and one opposite Agron and he didn’t feel like accidentally hitting either of them.

“I need to finish first,” He said, pointing to his computer screen.

Several people gave him annoyed looks for speaking.

Agron nodded, now visibly crossing the boundary from uncertainty to anxiety.

Nasir went back to work. At least, he tried to. He was about two paragraphs away from being done but the crumpled paper, still on the desk, was taunting him.

Sighing, Nasir got up and once more started packing up his belongings.

“Agron.” He caught the other man’s eye and jerked his head toward the door.

Agron gathered his things and followed him outside. “I know I’m an asshole,” were the first words out of his mouth.

Right now Nasir wasn’t inclined to disagree. “Do you know that I’m allowed to talk to who I want to?”

“Yes,” Agron said without hesitation.

“Good.” Nasir shook his head. “Agron, if this is going to go anywhere you need to trust me and stop-- stop glaring at every man I talk to.”

“I don’t glare at every--”

“Everyone who flirts with me.” Nasir corrected himself.

“I will.” Agron promised.

“Good.” Nasir glanced back inside the computer lab through the clear door. “I need to get back to work. If you finish and it’s not three in the morning, call me and I’ll look your paper over.” Nasir set his backpack on the ground, pulled out a piece of paper, and wrote down his number.

Agron reached for it but Nasir pulled it back.

“This is not a reward.”

Agron nodded and Nasir held it out again, letting him take it.

 

After another fifteen minutes, Nasir had finished his paper. He printed it out, proofread it, marked some places he needed to change, and then did that. He was about ready to rip out his eyes.

“I can read it for you.” Castus whispered his offer.

Nasir glanced over at Agron. He was under no obligation to say no just because of him. But it seemed like a petty move to rub it in his face right now.

“That’s all right, thanks. I won’t inflict it on you. You’ve got a paper too.”

Nasir looked at Agron again and saw that he was watching them. Agron quickly averted his eyes.

Nasir changed the errors he’d spotted, reworded a few things, and looked over the paper again. He printed it out one last time and that was as much of it as he wanted to see again. He passed Agron on the way to the stapler and reached out to place his hand on Agron’s shoulder. The man turned to look at him and Nasir gave him a soft smile before he left to staple the pages together. But he caught Agron’s smile before he turned.


	6. Chapter 6

Agron looked like hell that Monday morning. Nasir was fairly sure he’d pulled an all nighter from the way he was stumbling around.

Nasir stood against the wall and when Agron came up next to him he leaned against it.

“I hate English so fucking much.” He muttered.

“Did you get it done?”

“About half an hour ago.”

“Do you have to go to your other classes?”

“No.” Agron stifled a yawn. “I’m skipping them and getting some fucking sleep.” He looked at Nasir and gave him a tired smile. “You could join me.”

“You’re exhausted.”

“We don’t have to f--”

“You’re not making the best decisions right now, Agron,” Nasir said gently, quietly amused.

“Probably not, no.” Agron admitted. He rested his head against the wall. “Wake me up when she gets here.”

Nasir heard the click of heels coming down the hall and leaned forward to look past Agron. “She is here.”

“Fuuuck.”

 

“You should have called me this weekend!” Chadara chided Nasir as they walked to Sinuessa for lunch. “I can’t believe you didn’t.”

“I did call.” Nasir reminded her. “You never answered.”

He had been annoyed at that, not the first time he’d called but definitely by the third. But that was Chadara being Chadara. She was busy-- probably with Rhaskos-- and Nasir fell to the wayside. The difference was that in high school their school hadn’t been big enough that they wouldn’t see each other for the entire day.

“I was with Rhaskos. He can be demanding.”

Called it.

“So.” Chadara grinned. “You made out with Agron, flirted with Castus in front of him, and then lectured him for being mad.”

“I didn’t flirt with Castus.” Nasir protested.

“ _I_ would have.” Chadara laughed.

“I know you would have.”

“You could do better than Agron,” Chadara said.

“You could do better than Rhaskos.” Nasir countered.

“Mm, the difference is I know that.”

Nasir didn’t ask why was Chadara was still with him then. He knew the answer. She viewed relationships as a constant need in her life, a way to secure herself in case she ran into trouble. Nasir didn’t judge but he couldn’t agree with it on a personal level. He wasn’t in a relationship because he felt compelled. He wasn’t constantly looking for a better deal. If he was with someone-- really with them and not just some fling-- it was because he wanted to be.

So it was while they were walking when he realized he really wanted to be with Agron.

 

Nasir didn’t hear from Agron on Tuesday. That wasn’t surprising give how tired he’d been on Monday. He was probably still recovering. But on Wednesday he didn’t show up to their class.

Maybe he was sick. He hadn’t held Nasir’s conversation with Castus against him on Monday so it couldn’t be that. He didn’t think it was that.

But he didn’t have Agron’s number to call and check and it was much too early in their relationship for him to go over unannounced to his apartment, in his estimation at least.

When class was out he went to the library to copy his notes for Agron before he forgot. It wasn’t noon yet so if he was sick he’d probably still be sound asleep. Nasir would be in his place.

Nasir was just leaving the library when he almost bumped into Naevia.

“Nasir. Hi.” She smiled. “How are you?”

“Good.” A thought occurred to him. “Agron wasn’t at class today.”

Naevia nodded, her face taking on a look of sympathy. “Yeah, he always has a hard time today.”

Nasir frowned. Today? “He’s not sick?”

“No, he’s-- oh.” Naevia’s eyes widened for a second before returning to normal. “Oh. No, he’s not sick. I think he wants to be alone now.”

“Why?”

“That’s not my place to say,” Naevia said. “He’ll tell you if he wants to but-- I wouldn’t ask.”

“Naevia--”

“Not my place.” She repeated and started to walk past Nasir. “I’ll see you Thursday.”

 

By the time Nasir had walked to his dorm he thought he had figured it out but there was no way to be sure. He hadn’t known Agron for long and even if he liked him-- even if he really liked him-- there were some things a person just didn’t want to talk about. He knew what that was like.

He went to his dorm and played a game on his laptop until his German class started at two. It was pretty boring and involved a lot of talking and Nasir really didn’t want to focus on it. He should have stayed with Spanish but the teacher the last two years of high school had turned him off the language forever.

Nasir heard his phone receive a text message at some point during the class and had to quickly turn his phone off before the teacher did more than glare at him.

“Sorry.” He mumbled.

When class ended he half expected the professor to call him aside but instead he was free to leave with the rest of them. At least he had one teacher who wasn’t a complete asshole about the rules.

Nasir pulled out his phone and turned it on. He was walking down the stairs when it finally came on and stopped. Two text messages. Unknown number but the message that popped up left the identity of the caller without question.

_hey it’s agron want to eat? my place_

_promise im not trying to fuck you_

Nasir realized he’d stopped walking halfway down the stairs as the people filed past him on his left so he quickly started again. He didn’t type his message until he was on the first floor and had ducked out of the flow of the crowd.

_Sure._

 

After several quickly exchanged texts, during which Agron promised pizza, Nasir was on his way to Agron’s apartment. He quickly dropped by his dorm and switched out his German textbook for the notes he’d copied for his b-- for Agron and then set off at a brisk walk. If his hunch was right, he didn’t feel comfortable making Agron wait.

This time he didn’t get lost. He didn’t have long to wait after knocking on the door. Agron looked like he’d hastily and haphazardly brushed his hair, which he could afford to given his short hair. But at least he wasn’t in his pajamas: loose jeans but a snug t-shirt (and Nasir wondered if every shirt that Agron had fit him a little too tightly).

“Pizza got here five minutes ago.” Agron explained as he stepped back to allow Nasir inside and the smell of the food in the air confirmed his words. “Haven’t eaten all day so I got started without you.”

Yeah, it was looking like Nasir’s suspicions were correct.

“It’s fine.”

Nasir set his backpack down by the couch. “Where are the plates?”

“Last drawer on the left.” Agron pointed to the top cabinets.

“Thanks.”

“Did I text you while you were in class?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Apparently my German teacher doesn’t care.”

Agron had grabbed his pizza from off of his plate and was eating it while standing. “You take German?” He said between bites.

“Yeah, I used to take Spanish but shitty high school teacher. I can’t do a French accent so that left German and Russian and I just chose randomly.”

“French sucks. You’re better off with German. I take it.”

“Really?” Taking his cue from Agron, Nasir didn’t bother with sitting and leaned back against the kitchen counter as he ate his slice of pizza.

“Yeah, German 201. I can help you out if you need it. Pay you back for those notes.”

“Oh right, I brought the notes you missed today.”

“Thanks.”

“Catch up on your sleep all day?”

“Something like that,” Agron said distantly.

They lapsed into silence. Agron finished his slice and grabbed another one. When his back was turned, Nasir’s eyes fell automatically to check out his ass before he snapped them back up to the back of Agron’s neck. Now was not the time for that.

...But he did have a really good ass.

“Sorry, I’m not talkative today,” Agron said.

“That’s fine.”

“Spartacus is out so I-- wanted to see someone.”

“I understand. It’s fine.” Nasir didn’t say that he’d been looking forward to seeing him today anyway and felt disappointed when he hadn’t shown for English. It was odd, given that he’d always been there to flirt badly with Nasir since the semester had started.

“Want a pepsi?” Agron asked suddenly. “It’s all we have. Well, we have milk and beer but pepsi goes better with pizza and it’s early for beer.”

“Pepsi’s good.”

Agron placed his pizza on his plate and passed Nasir to open the refrigerator, taking out two cans of pepsi and handing one to Nasir. Nasir had to set his own plate aside to take it and open it.

Agron started to open his pepsi when he stopped. “Never mind. I need to get drunk.” He flashed Nasir a weak smile. “You won’t tell on me.”

“We both know I’m a saint about drinking. And you’re what, twenty?”

“Nineteen.”

“Close enough.”

Agron didn’t laugh but his smile broadened for a second before falling from his face. He grabbed a beer, twisted it open, and took a long drink.

Nasir finished his first slice of pizza. Having had lunch not too long ago, he opted not to go for a second and instead slowly drank his pepsi, watching Agron alternate between chugging his beer and stuffing his face. He wasn’t the most elegant of eaters, to say the least. Sloppy, and he had marinara sauce all over his hands. It was a far from attractive sight. He probably should have been turned off but that was the story of their relationship. Agron did something objectively stupid and/or unappealing and Nasir didn’t mind.

“So…” Agron began as he wiped some sauce away from his mouth. “Pizza any good?”

“Yeah. I had lunch so I’m not that hungry.”

“Oh.” Agron was quiet for a moment. “Nasir…”

“Yeah?”

“You said you don’t remember your biological parents but do you ever miss them anyway?”

Nasir looked up at the ceiling as he considered that. He hadn’t thought of it often before but in the past year or so it had been on his mind more. Normally he wouldn’t share this but if Agron needed to hear and if he needed a distraction…

“I wonder what it would have been like if they hadn’t died,” He finally said. “I love my adoptive parents, even with our issues but I think about the life I could have had and what it had been like and… I miss that. I miss not knowing what they were like. I miss that I never knew them and I wish I knew what they’d think of me now: if they’d be proud or disgusted or something in between. And…” Nasir looked at Agron. “I wonder that about my brother.”

Agron’s eyes widened and his lips parted. “Your brother died?”

“No. Or, if he has I don’t know about it.” For all Nasir knew he could be dead however it was unlikely. “My brother wasn’t adopted with me.”

“You don’t know what happened to him?”

Nasir shook his head slowly. “I haven’t seen him since I was five.”

“Do you remember anything about him?”

Nasir smiled softly. “Bits and pieces.”

They were quiet for some time, neither of them looking at each other, both lost in thoughts and memories.

“My brother died today,” Agron said. “Two years ago today.” He amended.

There was no moment of surprise for Nasir, not when everything had fallen together rather neatly for him earlier. This was simply confirmation. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Agron still didn’t look at him. His gaze fell just to the right of Nasir, somewhere on the counter.

“I was there when it happened,” he said. “We used to bike to school. Didn’t have a car. I was ahead of him, crossed the street, and then it…” Agron shook his head. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

“Why?”

“It’s not really something to talk about, especially not with someone I’m--” He gave Nasir a cautious look. “Not someone I’ve gone on a date with.”

“I don’t mind,” Nasir said calmly. “I don’t usually talk about my biological parents either or my brother but it feels all right now.”

“Does it?”

“Yeah.”

Agron seemed to relax at that but he did look away again. “What’s his name?”

Nasir didn’t need to ask for clarification. “Faizan.”

“My brother’s name was Duro. He was an idiot. I could hit on guys right in front of him and he had no idea what I was doing.” He looked back at Nasir. “Should I have said that?”

Nasir smiled. “Yes.” He certainly wasn’t going to judge.

“...Yeah, he thought I was joking. He’d laugh at me because he always laughed at my jokes.” Agron took a deep breath. He cast about and his eyes fell on Nasir’s backpack. He put his beer on the counter. “We can go over those notes now.”

“If you want to,” Nasir said slowly.

“Yeah, if you can stand it.”

Nasir didn’t press. Instead he followed Agron, taking out his papers and going over them with Agron. He kept trailing off and stopping when he realized Agron wasn’t listening and eventually Agron would snap out of it, smile and they’d backtrack. In the end, Nasir was fairly certain that Agron hadn’t understood any of it and what little he had would be forgotten until a time when he could focus.

After they talked about whatever came to their heads and after Nasir had gathered up his backpack, Agron placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed his forehead.

“Thanks.”


	7. Chapter 7

The next day Nasir was mired in studying, at the last minute, for his history midterm. The last minute being early that morning until he was waiting outside his class at 9:00. What followed was about an hour of torture, followed by collapsing in his bed, followed by forcing himself up for his sociology class at 1:00, during which Naevia leaned over and told him not to bother with notes. She’d cover it for both of them.

Nasir then went back to bed, caught up on his sleep, and woke up to his phone beeping, informing him that he’d just been texted.

Just been texted and had several more from Agron.

_thanks for coming over yesterday_

_if you want to meet up today let me know_

_tell me if i scared you off_

Nasir checked the time for each of them. 1:16pm, 2:40pm, 2:44pm.

He forced his tired fingers to type a response.

_Sorry passed out. Up all night todays not good see you tomorrow_

His phone slipped from his hand as he went to put it away and he didn’t bother to put it back on his desk. Instead he rolled over in bed, pulled the blanket up over him, and slept.

 

Nasir was late to English. He should have stayed up because that night he hadn’t been able to sleep until well after midnight and Lugo’s snoring had not helped.

The professor did not think well of his arrival. “Do you know how late you are?”

“Ten minutes?”

“That’s right. At that point you shouldn’t bother showing up. Don’t be late Monday and don’t come to my class today.”

Nasir blinked. He looked at the class, some of whom looked sympathetic while others looked surprised. Agron started to get up from his seat but Nasir caught his eyes, shook his head, and then turned around.

“Shit.” He swore.

He really didn’t feel like walking all the way back to his dorm so he made his way to a bench between the building he’d left and the one beside it, letting his backpack fall to the ground and slumping onto the bench.

Nasir closed his eyes and was on the verge of sleeping (or maybe he had) when he heard his name. Opening his eyes, he saw Castus approaching.

“You don’t have class?”

“I have class. I was late and the teacher threw me out.”

“Which teacher?”

“Glaber. The wife, not the husband.”

“A particularly unpleasant woman. I had her last year.” Castus took a seat beside Nasir. “Long night?”

“Yeah.” Nasir looked at Castus. “I thought you have class too.”

“Only a test. I finished early.” Castus put his arm on the back of the bench, turning fully toward Nasir. “Will you take me up on my offer for coffee now?”

“I’m seeing someone,” Nasir said.

Castus smiled. “And he is a lucky man but that’s not what I offer. You need it.”

That was true and the fact that Nasir was still trying not to doze spoke for it. “I’m waiting for someone.” He insisted.

Castus shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

“How did that paper go?” Nasir asked after a moment.

“Well enough. I finished it and had enough time to sleep. Whatever grade I get, I can’t complain.”

“Will that stop you?” Nasir asked, smiling slyly.

Castus laughed. “I doubt it.”

They talked for a while. Whenever Nasir started to nod off, Castus nudged him until finally he had to say something about it.

“You should be in bed.”

Nasir rubbed his eyes. “I’ll go soon. I just need to see--” He looked over at the building he had English class in and recognized his classmates filing out. “Agron should be out now.” He pushed himself up and onto his feet, grabbing his backpack despite the weariness in his limbs.

“Is he the lucky man?”

Nasir was saved from answering when he spotted Agron, stopped in the sidewalk, and looking around.

“Agron!” He walked over to him.

Agron smiled but when he looked past him, Nasir experienced a sense of deja vu as he dropped the smile.

Oh hell, not again.

Nasir stopped in front of Agron. “We were talking.”

“Yeah.” Agron smiled again, a little more tense but still a smile. “I thought you’d have gone back to your dorm after that bitch kicked you out.”

“I thought about it but I did tell you I’d see you.”

“We do have History Club.”

Nasir blinked. Oh, that was… It was Friday. “I forgot that was today.”

Agron laughed. “You do need sleep.” He slipped his hand past Nasir’s head and cupped the back of it, pushing him forward a little as he bent to press a kiss to his forehead. “If you don’t make it to the meeting I’ll text you.”

“I was going to walk you to--”

“Nasir,” Agron said firmly. “Sleep.”

 

Nasir set the alarm on his phone for 11:45. That should give him plenty of time to get to the meeting. However, once the alarm went off he slammed his hand on the phone and tapped on it until it stopped beeping at him. About five minutes later it went off again.

Nasir accidentally knocked it to the floor. It kept beeping.

“Shit.” He had no choice but to get up and deal with the stupid thing. He grabbed it, turned the alarm off, and stood still. He blinked several times to clear his eyes and bring them into focus. After quickly brushing his hair, he got his shoes on and headed to History Club, spurred on by the promise of pizza and seeing Agron.

It looked like he was several minutes late but the pizza was waiting for him and he grabbed two slices before sitting down next to Agron.

“Look who showed up,” Crixus said.

“Free food.” Nasir replied.

“Was that the only reason?” Mira teased.

Nasir smiled and shrugged. Agron laughed, reached over, and brushed Nasir’s hair back for him before it could fall onto his paper plate.

“As I was saying,” Spartacus said. “Do we want to go to Sinuessa tonight or maybe tomorrow? Agron?”

Agron leaned back into his seat. “Next week?”

“Seize the day or whatever the fuck that saying is.” Gannicus had his feet propped up on the desk next to him. “Make it today.”

“Nasir won’t make it today.” Naevia noted.

Nasir swallowed. “That’s true.”

“If Agron doesn’t want to go…” Spartacus started.

Agron shrugged. “Sure. We can go.” Though he didn’t seem too enthusiastic.

That Saturday at 9, he was _very_ enthusiastic about it. They’d been at Sinuessa for an hour and Gannicus was already drunk, Crixus was on his way there, and Spartacus, Naevia, and Mira were drinking moderately. Nasir and Agron couldn’t legally drink so they were being the responsible ones.

Or rather, Nasir was being responsible. Agron was acting like he was drunk already, laughing with Gannicus and fighting with Crixus and making a general mess.

When Gannicus stood on the table after it had been cleared, Nasir thought it had been bad enough. Then Agron joined him.

“I have conquered this bar in the name of Gannicus! May all the women come to me!”

Saxa, Gannicus’s girlfriend as far as Nasir could tell, grinned in approval. “May they come to us.” She corrected.

Oh. Now that was an interesting relationship.

“Agron, get down,” Spartacus said.

“I’m having fun up here. Crixus is even smaller than usual.”

“And what does that make me?” Nasir asked dryly.

“Ah…” Agron faltered. “...I’ll get down.”

“Good.”

“The staff is coming over,” Crixus grumbled.

“Gannicus,” Spartacus grabbed the man’s leg. “Get down too before--”

“All of you, out!” A woman who must have been the manager pointed vigorously at the door.

 

“Well, that could have been worse,” Gannicus said cheerily.

“Gannicus.” Spartacus sighed.

They’d crashed in Spartacus’s apartment.

“We were fine until you and Agron decided to stand on the table. What next, were you going to start pissing on it?” Mira’s words had a bite to them.

“Maybe.” Agron replied.

Nasir elbowed him. Agron only put his arm around him in response. “You look good when I’m looking down on you.”

Nasir smiled but it wasn’t the frustrated, half menacing smile he would give Lugo sometimes. “Don’t make me remove your arm.”

Agron chuckled and bent down to kiss Nasir’s lips for a moment before suddenly pulling back. “Sorry, I forgot--”

“It didn’t hurt,” Nasir said. Finally. “I think we’re good now.”

“Oh. In that case…” Agron kissed him again, not as gentle as before, quickly turning into something more as he pulled Nasir closer against him.

“God help us,” Crixus groaned. “They’re going to be worse than Gannicus and Saxa.”

“Where are Gannicus and Saxa?” Naevia asked.

“Agron’s room.” Spartacus replied.

Agron sprang away from Nasir. “WHAT?”


	8. Chapter 8

Once midterms were over, the weeks passed more quickly. Now that Agron and Nasir discovered they could make out properly, and felt more comfortable doing so, Nasir’s free time was cut into significantly. He’d have to start work on his homework early if he wanted to get it done because inevitably he’d get a text or a phone call from Agron asking if he wanted to come over. It hadn’t progressed past kissing-- alright, there had been some grinding but Nasir would rather put some effort into building a relationship first.

He thought they were doing pretty well on that front too. Agron had even convinced him to play soccer with him and their (now mutual) friends.

“I’m impressed.” Crixus said, kicking the ball up off the ground and catching it with his hands. “You didn’t break Nasir’s nose.”

“There’s always next time.” Gannicus replied.

“Fuck you both.” Agron shot back. He turned to Nasir and smiled as Nasir grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Looks like you’ll be spending the night at Mira’s,” Gannicus said.

“I wouldn’t consider that a loss,” Spartacus said in return.

Nasir didn’t see Mira’s reaction to that as Agron had kissed him again.

“You could come back,” Agron said in a lowered voice. “We do have to leave for break tomorrow. Lot of time to make up for.”

“We’re drenched in sweat.” Nasir reminded him.

Agron grinned. “And your point?”

Nasir allowed Agron to get an arm around his shoulder and tug him close.

“That’s it for us.” Agron told the others.

Gannicus smirked. “What did I say?”

“Enjoy yourself.” Mira was also smirking at them.

Nasir didn’t care.

Agron and Nasir parted so they could grab their backpacks and then Agron’s arm was once again around Nasir and he was steering them in the direction of his apartment.

“When are you leaving tomorrow?” Agron asked.

“Oh.” Nasir had managed not to divulge his plans for fall break. “I’m staying.”

Agron turned his head to look at him. “You are several states away. Couldn’t afford to fly?”

“That’s what I told my parents.” Nasir’s tone was neutral.

Agron continued to watch him. “You never talk about them.” He commented.

“Mm.” Nasir looked at Agron and gave him a tight smile. “We don’t get along.”

“Why not?”

Nasir really wished that Agron hadn’t asked him that but Agron would find out sooner or later if they continued to be together. “I came out,” he said.

That was really a delicate way of saying that his parents had caught him making out in the car of some guy he’d just gone on a first date with when he should have gotten out and went back inside his house immediately before arousing his parents’ suspicions.

“Oh, they-- I’m sorry.”

Nasir shook his head. “It’s fine.” It wasn’t really but… “They’re not huge jerks about it usually but it brought out a lot more tension in our relationship and made other issues worse. They didn’t kick me out and they’re paying to send me here so it could be worse.”

“It could be a lot fucking better.”

“Yeah.” Nasir sighed. “It could be.”

Agron brought him in closer and bent to kiss his forehead. “You could come with me.”

“Where would I stay?”

“Well,” Agron hesitated.

“It’s all right. I’m fine.” And then, Nasir added. “Maybe next year.” It seemed like an odd thing to talk about. They’d only known each other for two months and had been dating for less than that. But he felt at ease with Agron. He could see them both a year from now, still together, still laughing, and preferably not with any more broken noses between the two of them.

“Yeah, next year.” Agron seemed happier at that, even if it wasn’t a promise. He didn’t speak for a while, then. “So, I’ll be gone for a week.”

“Making up for lost time?” Nasir was eager to latch onto this new subject, especially given what it concerned. “Aren’t we supposed to do that _after_ break is over.”

“We can do both.”

When they got to Agron’s apartment, Agron wasted no time taking off his sweaty shirt. He let it fall to the floor.

“You really shouldn’t do that.” Nasir said. He nudged the shirt with his foot but didn’t take his eyes off Agron’s form.

“It’s my apartment.”

“And Spartacus’s.”

“I’ll pick it up later.”

Nasir grinned and took off his own shirt. He let it drop on top of Agron’s. “Will you pick that one up too?”

“What am I? Your fucking maid?” Agron stepped back. “Come on.”

Nasir followed and once he was within reach, Agron grabbed his arm and pulled him with him as he fell back onto the couch. Nasir settled on top of Agron, smiling as the other man wrapped his arms around Nasir’s waist and brought their bodies together. Their lips soon followed. As always, they were eager for each other. Agron pulled at Nasir’s lip. He trailed his hands down Nasir’s back as Nasir ran his own over Agron’s collarbones.

Agron let go of Nasir’s waist with one hand and gripped his hair, tugging it so that Nasir’s head tilted back and he could kiss his neck.

Nasir moaned. Then Agron slipped the hand on his back beneath his pants and Nasir took in a sharp, quick breath. Agron’s hand found the curve of Nasir’s ass and he pushed his hips up into him.

“Agron-- fuck.”

“Mm?”

It was more of a moan but Nasir could read the message in it and his own response was to roll his hips forward against Agron’s. Then he pushed up and away from him so he could get his hand between them and unzip his jeans. Once that was done he lowered his hand to cup Agron’s cock. Agron pulled away and arched his neck back as Nasir rubbed him through his jeans.

“Fuck do you want-- to move to the bed?”

“Good idea.” Instead of getting up, Nasir kissed Agron again and received a firm squeeze of his ass in response.

“Ready for this?” Agron asked when they parted.

“Yes,” Nasir said immediately. He only managed to get off the couch by reminding himself that the sooner they did this, the sooner Agron would be fucking him.

That was the plan until Agron got up off the couch and his hands immediately went to Nasir’s jeans to pull them off. Nasir covered Agron’s hands with his own.

“Agron, bed unless you have lube.” He kicked off his shoes as he spoke.

“Fuck lube.” Agron muttered as he brushed Nasir’s hair away from the back of his neck and sucked hard on his nape.

“Agron.” Seriously, at Agron’s size, unless he was really not well endowed proportionally (and having felt his dick, Nasir was 99% certain he wasn’t), Nasir was not going without lube if God himself commanded it.

“Wasn’t serious.”

Nasir pulled Agron’s hands off and started down the hall that lead to what had to be Agron’s bedroom, though he’d never seen it. He stopped as he saw two doors, one on the left and one on the right. In that time, Agron had latched onto his neck again and was moving from there down his spine.

“Which one?” Nasir asked. He fought to keep his eyes from rolling shut.

“Right.” As soon as he was done speaking Agron had gone back to paying attention to Nasir’s neck, biting at the flesh hard enough that Nasir gasped. Agron wrapped his hands around Nasir’s hips and pushed him to the right.

Nasir couldn’t move fast with Agron right behind him but he did open the door. Agron’s room was exactly how he’d expected. Nothing decorated the walls but the floor was strewn with not only his clothes but also a basketball, lying in the middle of the place like it was the king of the floor and daring anyone to dispute its reign by stepping on it and tripping on their ass.

Nasir kicked it aside as he made his way to the bed-- a single and pushed up against the wall. It was big enough for the both of them, either if they were pressed together on their side or, as would shortly happen, Nasir was on his back with Agron over him, legs spread wide to welcome Agron between them.

But first he pushed his jeans down while Agron tackled his own and took off his shoes. Nasir finished first and his clothes joined Agron’s on the floor. He took a seat on the bed. Agron looked at him, grinned, and finished getting out of his jeans and then his boxers.

Yeah, they were definitely going to need a lot of lube.

Agron reached into his nightstand drawer while Nasir spread out on the bed.

“I’m supposed to ask you how many people you’ve been with or some shit like that.” Agron said as he withdrew a condom and some lube.

“Do you want to know the answer to that question?” Nasir knew how jealous Agron was but he didn’t know if that extended to the span of time before Nasir had met him.

“Why? Is it a lot?”

“Mm.” Nasir thought for a moment. “Does seven count as a lot?”

Agron had just finished putting on his condom and nearly dropped the lube. “Seven?”

O.K., that counted as a lot in Agron’s book. Good to know. Now to just hope this was too late for him to back out and decide there was no way in hell he wanted his dick in Nasir’s ass. By this point Nasir was very visibly looking forward to that-- aching for it, even.

“You’ve slept with seven people?” But Agron settled on the bed between Nasir’s legs.

“Yeah, but it’s been a year and I got tested so you don’t have to worry. Why? How many people have you slept with?”

“Two. And I owe Spartacus for one.”

Nasir nearly choked. He had not expected that. “What--”

“Not like that! He was my wingman and-- alright, I’m going to shut up and fuck you now.”

True to his word, Agron covered his fingers with lube and, as he pressed one finger inside of Nasir, he kissed his chest and then his stomach, working his way down and then back up. He wrapped his free hand around Nasir’s cock and stroked him.

“Agron…”

Agron silenced Nasir with his lips, kissing him fiercely and Nasir returned the passion. He felt another finger enter him, and then both were brushing his prostate and after a while he thought he was going to melt into the bed, overcome as he was.

Nasir had to grab Agron’s wrist and pull the man’s hand away from his cock before he came.

Agron sat back. “Fuck, you look good.”

Nasir opened his eyes. Agron was staring down at him, smile firmly planted on his face, and fuck his fingers were still moving inside of him. Nasir’s feet had long since curled.

“Do I?” Nasir managed not to sound like he was about to fall apart if Agron kept up with this.

“Your face is red and you look like you’re ready for me to fuck your brains out.”

“That’s because I am.” A lazy grin spread across Nasir’s face and he pushed himself down into Agron’s fingers.

Agron took his fingers out of Nasir and grabbed his own cock. Nasir gripped the bedsheets in advance of Agron’s entrance and watched as Agron’s cock slid inside him. Nasir burned as muscles stretched and he grasped the sheets tighter as he bit his lip, exhaling slowly.

“Not enough?” Agron paused, half inside him until Nasir pushed back down to bring him fully in.

He gasped. “Wait a second.” Fuck, this was going to take some getting used to.

Agron ran his hands over Nasir’s thighs, spreading them wider apart until Nasir moved to wrap them around his waist. Agron moved closer, leaning over him, with one hand now on Nasir’s hip and the other pressed against the mattress.

Nasir looped his arms around Agron’s shoulders and brought him in closer, both with his arms and his legs as he pushed Agron inside of him further. The results were better this time and Nasir’s heavy exhale was for a different reason.

“Yes. Now.”

Agron slowly thrust forward, holding Nasir down so he would stay where he was. “Good?”

Nasir nodded. “Yes.”

This time Agron kissed Nasir when he bucked his hips into him and he kept his lips pressed to him when he drove into him again, a little harder this time and Nasir’s groan was muffled against Agron’s mouth.

Agron rubbed Nasir’s hip bone but he barely felt that in comparison to the sensation of being filled and stretched. Nasir wondered if he’d be broken and shattered by the time this was over and not necessarily in a bad way.

Mercifully, Agron set a slow rhythm but each stroke was firm and brought him entirely inside of Nasir. He brushed Nasir’s prostate each time until Nasir was hurrying to meet his thrusts, increasing the pace a little more and then a little more, eager to capture more of the pleasure surging through him. Nasir realized he had a hand in Agron’s hair and was pulling tightly but Agron was not the one hissing sharply.

Agron had to place his other hand on the bed for more traction. Nasir had no choice but to unwind one arm from Agron and press it to the bedframe to keep his head from ramming into it every time Agron thrust into him.

He could feel Agron’s harsh breaths on his mouth, just as he could feel the wave of warmth and pull of tension and the sheer need for more, please, now. Agron. His hand gripped Agron’s hair to the point that he heard Agron make a quiet noise of pain and he eased up but there were no protests. Agron didn’t tell him to stop just as Nasir hadn’t told him to, both distracted, both absorbed in this.

Agron was hot when he kissed Nasir again. The warmth of his body pressed down on Nasir as much as his weight. This time Nasir bit down on Agron’s lip and he responded by sucking at Nasir’s. The kiss was messy and harsh and just what Nasir wanted.

Agron’s thrusts became a little more erratic, a little more frantic, building each time until Nasir had to pull himself back, away from Agron’s mouth so he could bite down on his tongue in an attempt to silence himself. It only half worked as each groan, half pain half pleasure came louder with every thrust.

When Agron came, his moan built from the back of his throat and Nasir felt it reverberate against his own body. Agron held himself inside of Nasir, hips jerking, body shuddering, and he stayed there for several moments after he was done. Nasir felt the tension leave him, falling into relaxation. Agron smiled, pushed himself back, and wrapped his hand around Nasir’s cock. It didn’t take long to bring Nasir off and he arched his back up off the bed and took in short, gasping breaths as he came.

Agron got up to discard his condom. Nasir was still coming back down from the high when Agron nudged him so he’d be on his side. He then settled down next to Nasir, curling his legs around him and bringing his arm around Nasir’s waist as he buried his face in the man’s shoulder.

“Good?”

“No. _Fucking_ good.” Nasir answered.

Agron laughed and kissed his neck.

 

Agron was still wrapped around him when Nasir woke. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t covered by the man’s flesh and his hand rested against Nasir’s stomach. Nasir lay his own hand over it, rubbing until Agron stirred. He moaned, pressed closer until Nasir felt his boyfriend’s cock rub against his thigh.

Judging by the light filtering through the window shades, it was early morning but they’d passed out early last night. It was a good thing they were awake, in any case. Agron had to get ready to leave and so did Nasir although his journey would be much shorter.

“Agron?”

“Mm,” was the muffled reply.

“You should get ready soon.”

“For what?”

“Visiting your parents.”

“Mm. Soon.”

Nasir couldn’t argue against that at the moment. At least until Agron’s alarm went off.

“Shit.” Agron swore and disentangled himself from Nasir so he could turn it off.

“Time to get up.”

“Yeah.”

Nasir moved onto his back and watched as Agron went to his drawer and started getting out clothes. God, that was a nice view of his ass. It wasn’t until Agron started dressing that Nasir got up himself, grabbing the jeans he’d let fall to the ground yesterday. He pulled on his boxers and then his jeans.

“Want to borrow a shirt?” Agron asked. “Yours is still all sweaty.”

Nasir looked up in time to see Agron toss one of his shirts at him. Nasir caught it. “Thanks.”

“I’d give you some pants but they’d fall off you.”

Nasir pulled the shirt on and then tugged it outward, showing how baggy it was, despite being tight on Agron. “You’re right.”

Agron grinned and walked toward Nasir. He put his hand on Nasir’s chin and tilted his face up so he could kiss him.

“Don’t find some other hot guy to fuck you while I’m gone,” Agron said with a smile.

“That’d better be a joke because after yesterday it won’t cross my mind.” He leaned in to kiss Agron again but Agron pulled away.

“Only after yesterday?”

“Maybe a bit before then. I’ll have to think about it.” Nasir teased.

Agron leaned in to kiss him again. It was just a quick peck and then he turned back to his drawer. “I need to pack.”

“I’m not surprised. I’ll see you next week.”

Nasir started for the door but Agron stepped toward him and kissed him again. “You’re really fucking great.”

“So are you.” He placed his hands on Agron’s neck and pressed their lips together again for one last time. “And now you need to pack.”

Agron nodded and stood back. While he selected his clothes, Nasir opened the door. He glanced back as he stepped into the hall and saw a post it note on Agron’s door.

_Congratulations on not sticking your foot in your mouth long enough to get him in bed._

Nasir muffled his laugh with his hand. He took it off the door and looked at it. This must be Spartacus’s handwriting.

“Agron, what’s this?”

A moment later, Agron came into view and Nasir held out the note.

“That fucking--” Agron marched to his desk, grabbed a pen, and scribbled something on it. Then he walked past Nasir and slammed the post it note on Spartacus’s door.

Nasir looked closer and saw Agron’s response directly under Spartacus’s.

_We fucked on the couch, cunt._

“Lying to your roommate?”

“He won’t know the difference but he’ll never feel comfortable sitting on it again.” Agron sounded far too pleased with himself.

“Then next time we should fuck on the couch.”

Agron looked at him, cheeks dimpling because of his grin. “You are fucking brilliant.”


	9. Chapter 9

It was too cold to hang out outside unless you were in the middle of a vigorous workout, and since Chadara didn’t go for sports, she and Nasir were lounging on one of the couches in the student center. They had free coffee today for everyone who was staying for fall break and it didn’t taste like shit. It didn’t taste great either but Nasir could live with that.

“So Agron left today?” Chadara asked.

“Yeah.” Nasir took a sip of his coffee.

“And? Did you say goodbye? Is your long period of celibacy at an end?”

Nasir rolled his eyes. “I told you, I’m not telling you the details about my sex life.”

Chadara smirked. “You just did.”

Before Nasir could do more than shoot Chadara a dirty look, he heard Mira’s voice.

“I’m not the only one who wants free coffee.”

Nasir turned to look at her. “Mira, I didn’t know you were staying.”

“It’s a long drive back home. I’m fine here anyway.” She gestured to the seat beside Nasir, gripping her styrofoam cup in her other hand. “May I?”

Nasir scooted closer to Chadara to give her a little more room to sit down.

“Mira, this is my friend Chadara. Chadara, this is Mira. We’re in History Club together.”

“Nice to meet you.” Mira smiled.

“And you.”

Chadara didn’t seem to be jealous of the fact that this was one of the people Nasir had been spending more time with than her.

“Nasir was just telling me about Agron,” Chadara said.

“No, I wasn’t.”

“They are cute together.”

Cute? Of all the words to describe them, Mira had to go with ‘cute?’

“I’m right here.”

“Sorry. You two are cute together.” Mira corrected herself. “Speaking of…” She put a hand over a spot on her own neck and looked meaningfully at Nasir.

Nasir quickly adjusted his hair over the corresponding spot on his own neck. “Thanks.” He’d have to be more careful with that or tell Agron to go easier on him next time.

He glanced away from Mira and saw Castus, also holding a cup of coffee in his hands, approach them. “Am I intruding?”

Oh no, not in front of Mira.

“No,” Chadara said.

“I’m Castus.” Castus nodded at Mira and Chadara, who had never been formally introduced to and they said their names in response. He shook each of their hands. “Always a pleasure to meet Nasir’s friends.”

Nasir prayed that Castus was going to hold off on the flirting, at least until Mira left because if she reported back to Agron about it…

Castus took a seat on the couch opposite them. He leaned back, lounging and seeming at perfect ease already.

“I imagine I’m not the only one who had too long a trip back to my parents’ home.”

“No, you’re not,” Nasir said while Mira and Chadara nodded in agreement.

“Luckily for us, the student center provides us with…” Castus drank from his cup. “Mediocre coffee.”

“I’m surprised it’s not worse,” Mira said.

“I don’t mind as long as it’s got caffeine in it.” Chadara chimed in.

“It’s a fine excuse to enjoy others’ company and for me to get to know you.”

Nasir had a feeling he was not talking to Mira and Chadara. However, as the four of them talked, he was polite, and spoke with all of them, Nasir’s friends included. He’d met up with Castus before just to talk and he’d hit on him every time but this time Nasir’s prayers were answered. Castus was not trying any moves on him. He simply seemed eager to do as he’d said: get to know him.

After a while of talking, Nasir’s phone rang.

“Excuse me.” He took out his phone and got up, walking to the far end of the room before answer.

“Hello?”

“Is this Nasir?”

Nasir didn’t recognize the man’s voice. “Yes.”

“It’s Faizan. I’m your brother.”

Nasir’s phone fell from his hand. He scrambled to pick up the phone again.

“Sorry. Sorry. You’re--” It wasn’t often that Nasir was at a loss for words but now he found himself unable to prod his mind into coming up with anything, even a coherent thought. “Faizan?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to startle you.”

Nasir pushed the door open and stepped outside.

“It’s fine.” He said. His voice sounded weak to his own ears. “You couldn’t help it.” Nasir was going to have been surprised anyway and it wasn’t the first time he’d dropped his phone. “You—how did you find me?”

“I’ve been searching for a few years. I finally got your records. When I called your parents they gave me your phone number. Is it all right that I called?”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course it is.”

It had been thirteen years since he’d last spoken with his brother. Nasir didn’t remember his voice but he was fairly sure that now it was unrecognizable. What was he supposed to say?

“How are you?” Faizan asked.

“Good. I’m really good. It’s fall break at my college so I don’t have to worry about classes. Not that I worry that much.”

“That’s good.” Faizan sounded almost as awkward and uncertain as Nasir.

“How are you?”

“I’m also good. I’m working, have a girlfriend. Things are good.”

Were they supposed to mention their significant others? It was really too soon to drop that bit of information on Faizan and given how his parents reacted he’d rather not any time soon. Or at all.

“That’s good.” Nasir realized too late that he had just echoed back what his brother had said not long ago.

Faizan paused. “I understand if you don’t want to and this is sudden for you but do you want to meet?”

Only for the past thirteen years.

“Yeah, I do.”

“I’m only off Thanksgiving. I don’t know if you have plans but if you don’t we can have dinner.”

“No plans,” Nasir said quickly.

“Do you have something to write down my address?”

“I…” Shit. “Hold on.” He walked back inside, covered the phone, and asked his friends if they had a pen and a piece of paper.

Of course it was Castus who had both. His fingers brushed Nasir’s as he handed it to him. Nasir felt the instant chemistry but he was too preoccupied to think about it.

“Alright,” he said to his brother once he’d pressed the phone back to his ear. “Give it to me.”

 

Nasir had only gotten texts from Agron. He figured that his boyfriend was busy. He also figured it’d be the same if he’d gone back to his parents. And then there were other relatives who would visit for Thanksgiving and the house would be busy. So he didn’t mind.

But texts weren’t really the best way to tell Agron about having heard from his brother, especially when Agron had lost his own. That was one of the points they’d bonded over. Now Nasir had his brother again and Agron—Agron never would.

Nasir got a call from Agron late Friday. “Hey.”

“Hey, sorry I didn’t call.”

“It’s all right. Busy?”

“Fuck, yes. My dad wanted me to rearrange furniture for him and waited just for when I’d get back. He’s got a bad back and my mom has weak knees. Do you know how hard it is to lift most of a bed on your own?”

“I haven’t tried.”

“It’s fucking hard.”

Nasir smiled. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“That was my week. That and turkey and pie. What about you?”

Nasir started to say something then stopped.

“Nasir?” Agron sounded suspicious.

No, he was not going to get jealous. Or he probably was but over something else.

“My brother called me earlier this week.”

There was silence over the phone save for Agron’s breathing.

“Your brother?”

“Yeah. We had Thanksgiving dinner together.”

More silence, then… “How did it go?”

“Good. We talked a lot.”

Some of it Nasir hadn’t wanted to find out, for instance Faizan had stayed in foster care until he turned 18. He said it wasn’t as bad as it could have been but he didn’t have a stable home either and he hadn’t had anyone to pay for him to go to college. So it was some retail job for him and he was lucky to have been let off on Thanksgiving.

But some of it had been eye opening. There was so much that Nasir had forgotten until Faizan mentioned it and even more that Nasir still didn’t remember but welcomed hearing about. They were stories of another life and one he’d wished he’d held onto for longer.

“He’s nice.” Nasir continued. “He said he’s been looking for me for a while.”

“And he found you.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s great, Nasir.” Only Agron didn’t sound enthusiastic about the news. “Are you going to see him again?”

“In a few weeks.”

“I’m really glad he found you.” This time Agron sounded sincere.

“I am too.” Sensing that now was the time to move on, Nasir changed the subject. “You’re coming back Sunday, right?”

“Sunday evening. About, ah, 7:30 I think. Want to wait for me?”

God, yes.

“Where?” Nasir asked.

“I haven’t been to your dorm yet…”

Nasir felt his mouth split into a grin.

 

It was Sunday, roughly an hour before Agron was supposed to get back, and Nasir had soon realized he needed a better way to distract himself than getting a head start on his English reading. It was best for all involved, especially the book, which Nasir kept considering dropping in the trash.

So Starcraft it was and he was so caught up in exterminating the zerg before they could swarm his base as soon as night fell that the knock on his door took him by surprise.

“Hold on!”

Nasir saved the game and quit, then closed his laptop and walked to the door. After opening it, Nasir barely had time to register that now familiar grin on Agron’s face before he was being kissed.

Nasir stepped back so Agron could enter the room and they wouldn’t be making out half in the hall/half in his dorm room. Agron kicked the door shut behind him. After a long while of just kissing, with Agron brushing down Nasir’s hair, Nasir put his hands on Agron’s shoulders and pushed him back.

“I missed you too.” Nasir’s lips curled into a smile.

“You’d better have.” Agron glanced behind Nasir. “Let me guess. That’s your bed.” He nodded to the left.

It was easy to see how he’d made the guess. The left side of the room, while far from spotless, was much cleaner than Lugo’s side.

“It is.” Nasir confirmed.

Agron said nothing in response. But he did grab Nasir’s leg, hoist it up over his own hip, then grasped Nasir’s ass to push him up. Nasir got his other leg around Agron just as the man placed both hands on him and lifted him up.

Nasir wound his arms around Agron’s shoulders. “A week of hauling furniture around and now you’re picking me up?”

Agron walked both of them to the bed and lay back on it, one hand going to Nasir’s back so he didn’t fall.

“Good warm up for a workout.”

“You think I’m going to give you a workout?” Nasir asked in a faint, mock innocent voice.

“I know you are.” Agron growled before biting Nasir’s lip.

A long time later, after they were done with each other, Agron lay on top of Nasir, nipping at his collarbone and up his throat.

“Good to be back?”Nasir asked.

“Mm.” Agron released Nasir’s skin from between his teeth. “Fucking obvious, isn’t it?”

“You won’t say that when we have finals.”

Agron pushed himself up and looked at Nasir. “I’ll have you, won’t I?” He smiled and kissed him.

Nasir ran his fingers through Agron’s hair, holding him in close for a while before they parted.

“You will.” They kissed again and kept at it, deeper and harder by the moment, until Nasir realized something important. “What time is it?” He mumbled.

“Uh…” Agron looked up at the clock on Nasir’s desk. “Ten.”

“Ten?” Nasir tried to push Agron off him so he could look over and verify the time.

He knew they’d been thorough with each other, but to have been fucking for two and a half hours?

“Is that a problem?” Agron didn’t seem willing to sit back and had instead started running his hand over Nasir’s chest.

“My roommate’s coming back at any moment.”

“Coming?” Agron snorted.

“Agron, I’m serious. We need to get dressed and--”

“LITTLE MAN!”

Nasir heard the lock turn just as Agron pushed him back to cover him, which Nasir was not sure was the best move considering he was about to grab a sheet to do the same without putting him in an even more compromising position.

“I’m-- back--” Lugo stared at them, then grinned. “And I see you’re busy.” He rolled his suitcase into the room, placed it by his bed, and nodded at them. “I’ll come back in half an hour. Have fun.”

Nasir could only watch as he left. Then, once the door was closed, he put his hand to his forehead.

“He took that well.” There was amusement in Agron’s voice and not mortification.

“Agron--” Nasir sighed. “Never mind.”

“So we have half an hour?” Agron lowered his hand to grip Nasir’s hip. “How do you want to spend it?”

Nasir didn’t bother waiting for Agron to kiss him. He initiated it himself.


	10. Chapter 10

Nasir hadn’t felt comfortable bringing his brother back to his mess of a dorm. There wasn’t anywhere nice for him to sit anyway. It was too cold out to take a walk and so Sinuessa was the best place for them to meet. They could talk and eat and, considering it was on a college campus, Sinuessa was cheap too. Perfect for both of them.

It was Saturday and a little crowded. They’d opted for lunch but some people were still waking up and this was their breakfast. They asked for a booth in the back though and managed to get one.

Nasir hadn’t expected it to be different from last time but it was a little less awkward. While they were waiting for food, Faizan took out his wallet.

“I’ll pay for my food,” Nasir said.

“It’s not that.” Faizan took out several pictures and slid them along the table to Nasir. “I didn’t get to show these to you.”

Nasir took the pictures and stared into images of his young life. “Is this us?” He asked, turning to Faizan the photograph of two boys, the bigger one with his arms around the smaller one’s neck, though loosely and not in a chokehold.

“It is.” Faizan leaned forward and pushed aside a few of the pictures until he found one. He pointed at the man and woman in it. “Our parents, before we were born. A few months after their wedding, I think.”

Nasir stared. He saw his own resemblance to his father-- the same jaw and same build, but he had his mother’s hair and height.

“You said you don’t remember them.” Faizan continued.

“I don’t,” Nasir spoke softly.

Faizan was silent as Nasir took them in. It was some time before he put the one picture aside, turning to the others. There they were together as a family. There was either Faizan or Nasir as a baby-- Nasir, Faizan told him.

“Do you remember now?” Faizan asked gently, hopefully.

Nasir shook his head.

Faizan leaned back in his seat. “You were young. It was a long time ago.”

“I remember you.” Nasir was still captivated by the pictures, still delving into his mind for some memory but he couldn’t be sure if the images he conjured were real or imagination. They didn’t feel real. “I wish I remembered them.”

“Keep them. Maybe something will come back to you.”

Nasir looked up at his brother. “I can’t--”

“It’s all right. I made copies.”

“Thank you.” Nasir didn’t know what else to say.

Once they finished eating, they stepped outside but Faizan didn’t immediately head back to his car. “Want to go for a walk?” He asked. “You can show me your campus.”

“I’d like that.”

Nasir walked with him. He pointed out which buildings he went to class in, talked about what his classes were like or just things in general.

They’d probably been walking for half an hour when Nasir heard his name.

“Nasir!”

Both Nasir and his brother turned. There was Agron walking toward them smiling one moment and then freezing the next as he must have realized who was with Nasir. The two of them did look alike. They were almost the same height (Faizan was lucky enough to be taller), had the same eyes, and while Faizan’s jaw wasn’t as strong his face had a similar shape and they had the exact same build.

Agron smiled again and finished walked toward them. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were with-- Faizan, right? Nasir told me about you.” He held out his hand.

“This is Agron.” Nasir didn’t know how else he was supposed to introduce him. His boyfriend? His friend? His-- there was no real protocol on whether or not you should come out to the adopted brother you’d just reunited with a couple weeks ago and had no idea what his thoughts were on homosexuality.

Faizan shook Agron’s hand. “You’re Nasir’s friend?”

Agron glanced at Nasir. “Yeah. Something like that.”

 _Something like that?_ Nasir flinched.

“I mean, yeah. Friends.” Agron added quickly.

Faizan turned his head to look at Nasir out of the corner of his eyes. “Nice to meet you,” he said, looking back at Agron.

“Yeah, you too. I should uh-- let you get back to-- talking. Nasir, I’ll call you later, O.K.?”

Nasir nodded, resisting the natural instinct to kiss Agron goodbye. “Yeah. Talk to you later.”

Agron hesitated a moment, nodded at Faizan, gave one final smile to Nasir, and walked past them.

Faizan stared at his brother.

“So-- yeah, that was Agron,” Nasir said weakly. Fuck, what was wrong with him. “He’s a good guy.” And he really needed to shut up now.

“Nasir, you’re my brother.” Faizan started slowly. “You know I’ll love you no matter what.”

“Is it that obvious?” Nasir asked.

“A little, yeah.”

Damn it.

“Yeah, he’s my boyfriend.”

“How long have you been together?” Faizan asked, showing nothing but interest. No sign of disgust or horror or any sign of disapproval.

“Almost the start of the semester.”

“Does he make you happy?”

“Yeah. Very.”

Faizan smiled. “Good.”

 

Finals week was one of the most stressful weeks of Nasir’s life. None of his papers were spaced out and neither were his exams. English had a paper _and_ and exam and Nasir had to sit through their last class listening to Agron swear under his breath behind him. Their last ditch attempt at studying was entirely unsuccessful. They had been desperate enough not to make out until 1am when Agron angrily shoved away his notes and pulled Nasir onto the couch where they kissed until passing out about ten minutes later. In hindsight, they probably should have gotten more sleep. Nasir had told Agron that.

Their terrible English exam didn’t stop Agron from practicing some German with Nasir, in preparation for his oral final (naturally, Agron had made a lot of jokes about that).

And then when it was over he only had one day to enjoy, anxiety free, with Agron.

Mostly anxiety free.

“Sneak me onto the plane with you and I’ll get your parents to shut up about your sinful ways.” Agron tilted Nasir’s neck back and kissed it as he talked.

“I don’t think that’ll work.”

“We could try it.”

“There’s no way in hell I can sneak you on a plane.” Nasir squeezed Agron’s arm. “Too big.”

Agron leered. “Big but you can handle me, ‘little man.’”

Nasir pinched him. “Say that again and I’ll think I’m making out with Lugo. You don’t want that to happen.”

“You could never mistake me for Lugo, little--”

Nasir kissed Agron hard and pulled away after half a minute had elapsed, just when Agron felt like he was melting into him. “Don’t call me that.”

The breath of Agron’s laugh warmed Nasir’s lips. He reached between them, undid the button of Nasir’s jeans, then unzipped them.

“Want me to make it up to you?”

“You have a lot to make up for.”

“I’d better start.”

Nasir closed his eyes and bit his lip as Agron pushed his hand beneath his jeans and boxers and stroked him.

Agron brushed Nasir’s lips with his thumb and Nasir stopped biting down, allowing Agron to press their lips together and then he was the one tugging at Nasir’s bottom lip. He was still stroking him when he pulled back.

“I love you.”

Nasir almost didn’t register the words at first. Then it hit him all at once. _I love you._ He opened his eyes. Agron was staring down at him, sincere and-- was that concern?

Nasir started to say something but Agron’s palm slid down his cock and all Nasir could get out for a moment was “ah” as his eyelids fluttered shut again. He forced them open a moment later.

“I love you too.”

Agron grinned and went back down to bite Nasir’s lips again. “Knew it,” he said between kisses.

 

Nasir dreaded going back home. It didn’t help matters that he wasn’t fond of flying: being stuck in an enclosed space, miles in the air, without any way to escape and the risk of turbulence was not his idea of a fun time. But he hated even more knowing he’d have to get back to his parents.

He did miss them. Some. Not enough to want to be away from his boyfriend for a month.

Agron didn’t seem happy either as he watched Nasir hand over his suitcase to be checked in. When they started to leave, Agron grabbed Nasir’s carry on luggage before Nasir could stop him and carried it 

“Agron.” Nasir tried to take his bag back but Agron pulled it away from him.

“I got it.”

Nasir didn’t have any other choice but to let it go and Agron only set the bag down once they reached security.

“Have a safe flight,” Agron said distantly.

“I’ll text you when I change flights and when I get home.”

“Good. You’d better.”

Nasir wrapped his arms around Agron’s shoulders and Agron wound his own arms around Nasir’s waist.

“Don’t forget about me when you’re being chased by guys back home,” Agron said.

“Call me and I’ll make sure I don’t.”

“Deal.” Agron moved away just enough so that he could lean in again and kiss Nasir.

“Love you.” Agron whispered.

“Love you too.” Nasir kissed him again. “I’ve got to go.”

“Yeah.” Agron let go of Nasir and took a step back. But he just as quickly closed the distance between them when he gave Nasir a deep, long kiss. “O.K. now I’m good.”

“I’ll text you.” Nasir grabbed his bag and started for the line before Agron could change his mind again. “Promise.”

 

Nasir knew he would be tired once he stepped off the plane and he was right. He met his parents once he exited the gates. Even if Nasir had been an infant when they adopted him, he would have known they weren’t related as soon as he began to think critically about it. Faired haired and light skinned, there was no resemblance between his parents and him.

Nasir gave them a tight smile. “Hi.”

“Nasir.” His mother smiled and pulled him into her arms.

Nasir hugged her back, then went to give his father a hug.

“How was your trip?” His father asked.

“All right. Long. There was a little turbulence on the last one but it wasn’t bad.”

“Good.” His father reached for his bag. “Let me take that.”

“Dad, it’s fine. I’ve got it.”

“Nasir.”

“Really, it’s fine.” Nasir held it more securely.

They were halfway to the car, with his parents telling him some story about one of his least favorite cousins, when Nasir remembered he’d promised to text Agron.

“Sorry, I told one of my friends I’d text him.”

“Friend?” His mother inquired skeptically.

“Mom.” Nasir sighed. He pulled out his phone. “Don’t start.”

He started typing one handed. _Back home. Miss you. Call me after ten my time if you can._

“You just got home and the first thing you do is text one of your friends you’ve spent months with? You haven’t seen us in--”

“Mom, I promised.”

Nasir wasn’t looking at her but he could feel her eyes on him. He took a deep breath. This was going to be a long break.


	11. Chapter 11

There was one thing Nasir had to grudgingly admit: it was good, in a way, to be back. The house was familiar and he remembered that smell the moment he stepped inside. And he had missed seeing his parents but talking to them…

He would have hoped that after a long break the tension would have lessened.

As soon as he got the chance he retired to his room for good. He checked his phone. 9:30pm so a little early. After he texted Agron to let him know he could call whenever, Nasir booted up his computer and played some much longed for Skyrim. It was a shame his laptop couldn’t handle it but then he would have had to find the expanded weapons mod again so he could stab people with a spear and not just a sword.

He was in the middle of fighting a dragon when his phone rang. Without even bothering to pause, Nasir scrambled to answer it.

“Hey.”

“Hi. Going crazy yet?”

The dragon was roasting his character. And-- yes, his character had just died. Instead of loading the last save point, Nasir quit.

“I lost my mind shortly after stepping off the plane.”

“That bad?”

“It wasn’t terrible. But I’m sick of supposedly harmless comments.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Agron paused. “That is, I meant--”

Nasir interrupted him, hoping he could hear the smile in his voice as he couldn’t see it. “I know what you meant.”

“O.K., good.” Another pause. “Are you in your room?”

Nasir pushed his chair away from his desk. “Yeah.”

“I thought I heard you playing some game.”

“Skyrim.”

“I’ve heard of that. Any good?”

“I get to stab a lot of people.” Nasir replied.

“I should play it.”

Nasir laughed. “Yes, you should.” He got up, crossed the room to get to his bed, and lay down. “So are you home now?”

“I am. Having a better time than you are. I haven’t been forced to move any furniture. I think I’m safe this break.”

“Don’t say that. They’ll rope you into it tomorrow if you say that.” Nasir propped his head on his hand.

“Too late.”

“Say you have to hang out with your high school friends.”

“There’s an idea,” Agron said. “Are you going to do that?’

“I arranged it with Chadara before I left. I’ll be spending a lot of time at her house.”

“What the fuck would we do without friends?”

Nasir brushed his hair back. “Fantasize about fucking our boyfriends during really boring family dinners.”

“...Are you going to do that anyway?”

Nasir grinned. “Yeah.”

“You’re really fucking sexy, do you know that?” Agron asked and Nasir could imagine him grinning too.

“Am I?”

“Really fucking sexy.” Agron repeated. “Where are you?”

“My bedroom.”

“I’m in mine too.”

Nasir knew what was coming, even if he’d never done this with Agron before.

“What are you doing?”

To his credit, Agron didn’t hesitate before responding. “Thinking about fucking you.”

“How?” Nasir asked, already getting his jeans undone.

This time Agron did hesitate. “Having my cock in your ass.”

...O.K., this might be more difficult than Nasir anticipated.

“Do you want to stretch me apart with your fingers, stroking me inside until I’m moaning before burying yourself inside me?”

Agron’s breath hitched. “Yeah.”

Nasir waited. Agron finally sensed that he was supposed to say something.

“Yeah, I do. I want to-- fuck you really hard.”

Nasir closed his eyes. Alright, so he would have to carry the “conversation.” He could do that.

“Are you touching yourself right now? Are you pretending it’s my hand around you or are you imagining you’re inside me, tight and warm and pushing back against you until you’re completely inside of me.”

“Yeah.”

Oh for the love of--

Fuck it, Nasir was going to stroke himself off anyway. The way Agron was breathing, heavy and mixing with static was enough of a turn on. Nasir could see him now, clinging tightly to his phone, face flushed, and with his hand in his pants.

“Do you know what I want to do to your first?” He asked.

“Mm?”

“I want to get you on your stomach and then I’m going to spread your ass and run my tongue along it, circling you until you’ve clenched your hands in the sheets as you feel yourself relaxing until you start begging for me.”

“Fuck, Nasir--”

“And then I’ll do that too. When you’re ready, when you’re begging, _I’m_ the one who’ll fuck you. I’ll be inside you. I’ll be the one to make you shake as you feel your body coming apart under my touch, with my cock deep in you. Then I’ll take yours in my hand and stroke you off just like you’re stroking yourself off now, aren’t you?”

Nasir heard a stifled groan.

“And I’ll run my other hand all over your perfect muscles, your stomach and chest and arm before grabbing your thigh. I’ll think about biting it, want to sink my teeth into your hard muscle, but I can’t stop fucking you.”

“Nasir…” Agron moaned.

“Are you close?”

“Mm.”

“Come.”

A few short moments later, Agron let out a short, clipped cry that sounded like it was muffled by the back of his hand.

“Nasir--”

“Still think I’m really fucking sexy?”

“I think you’re a god.”

“Will you pray to me?” Nasir’s own breaths were coming faster as he felt his tension increase.

“Every day in bed once we’re back.” Agron’s breathing was returning to normal although every now and then he’d gasp harder. “Are you close?”

“Give me a minute.”

“Do you want me to--” Agron began.

“Listen.” Nasir let his breaths become heavier as he stroked himself. He moaned quietly, even whimpered at one point, and as he approached his climax he swore and said Agron’s name as he reached it-- louder than he intended.

“Can we do that again tomorrow?” Agron asked.

Nasir closed his eyes. “Yeah.”

Agron would get the hang of it at some point. Besides, it’d still been pretty good and just what Nasir had needed today.

“That wore me out.” He admitted. First the plane, then his parents, and then post-orgasmic bliss. It was a little much for the day.

“Me too. Same time tomorrow?”

“Yesss.” Nasir drew out the word in a soft hiss.

“I’ll text you something nice.”

“Tell me it’s a picture.”

“Maybe.”

Nasir let out a light laugh. “Surprise me. Good night, Agron.”

“Good night, sex god.”

 

That week was hell. The week after was hell. Christmas was hell (especially since he felt more awkward about going through the motions when he was thinking of converting to Islam after he’d read more). And worse, Chadara was usually distracted whenever he visited. They hadn’t been in the same circle of friends toward the end of their senior year in highschool and he would have rather spent time with her alone but after a while her friends grew on him.

But he was really looking forward to getting back to school. There was something wrong with that desire.

The day before he had to leave, he was in the middle of packing his bags when Agron called.

“Hey.” Nasir answered.

“Hey. So I’ll pick you up at five tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’m leaving early in the morning. Trust me, you don’t want me to text you before I leave.”

“When?” Agron asked.

“The plane leaves at four so I have to be there at three.”

“That sucks.”

“It’ll make it easier to sleep on the plane.” That was what Nasir hoped anyway.

“Text me when you get off.”

Nasir chuckled. “I won’t have to text you the next time I get off.”

“The one time I didn’t mean it like that...”

“I wasn’t going to let you get away with it.” Nasir zipped up his suitcase. “I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

“Me too.”

“Ready to go back to school?”

“Ready to see you.” Agron answered.

Nasir smiled. “I wish we had classes together.”

“We’ll still see each other.”

“We’d better.”

“Trust me, Nasir. You’re never getting rid of me.”

Nasir was grateful that Agron couldn’t see him right now because he was sure his smile had turned dreamy. That he could never admit to.

 

Unlike what he’d hoped for, Nasir hadn’t got much sleep on the plane. The first one had been too turbulent and after that he was clutching his seat for the second one. The air conditioning on the second plane had died too so on top of the dark circles under his eyes he was sweaty and his hair was a mess. That wasn’t how he wanted Agron to see him for the first time after about a month apart but he didn’t have much choice in the matter.

When he did finally see Agron though, he managed to forget that. Agron had his arms crossed over his chest and was staring intently forward, watching for Nasir and when he saw him he unfolded his arms and walked toward him in long strides. As soon as Nasir was within arm’s reach he swooped him up into them and kissed him.

“I missed you,” Agron said though he hadn’t released Nasir from his arms yet. “I love you.”

“I love you. I missed you too.”

They both leaned in for a second kiss at the same time.

Agron pulled away. “I’m taking you back to my place first. No arguments.”

“None.” Nasir agreed.

“You’re going to do to me everything you said you would.”

Nasir grinned in response. “What if I refuse?”

“Everything.” Agron insisted.

“Everything.”

Once they made it inside of Agron’s apartment, Nasir had him pinned to the couch and in minutes he had him screaming.

 

A week later, Nasir nudged a pile of Agron’s laundry aside with his foot. He saw one of his own shirts piled amidst Agron’s. 

“How many shirts do I have here?”

“I don’t know.” Agron was lying down on his bed, naked, elbow pressed to the mattress and his head propped up on his hand. You’ve got some of mine at your place?”

“I don’t have a hoard. You’re stealing all my shirts one by one.”

“Bring your backpack next time and you can have most of them back.”

Nasir had almost made it to the door when he turned back. “Most of them? They don’t even fit you.”

“I’m holding some ransom to keep you coming back.”

“Your dick keeps me coming back.”

“Sure you don’t want it while you’re in the shower?” Agron asked.

Nasir opened the door and stepped out into the hall. “Missing the point of a shower, Agron.” He called back.

Nasir waited for the water to warm before stepping into the shower. Any chance he got, he used it. It wasn’t because he wanted to smell of Agron’s shampoo or some dumb romantic shit like that. Really, he couldn’t stand the showers in his dorm. One, they were communal. Two, they turned to ice randomly. Three, every time a toilet flushed there was a surge of water and that just made Nasir uncomfortable. Though secretly, he had to admit he didn’t mind smelling like Agron either.

He got dressed and made his way back to Agron’s room, finally noticing the post it note on the door once he got there.

_If Nasir’s going to stay every night then learn to be quieter. I’m not getting kicked out of my apartment and I need sleep._

“We’re keeping Spartacus up.” Nasir said as he once again stepped over the dirty laundry on Agron’s floor and handed the note to him.

Agron read it. “Ass. I never complained about Mira.” He started to reach for a pen then tossed the note aside. “I’m responding to this one in person.”

When Agron was in bed was one of the few times Nasir could stare down at him or kiss his forehead so he took advantage of both. “I’ve got to go.”

“Come by tonight?”

“I’ll be exhausted by the end of the week.” Nasir kissed Agron’s lips. “Yes.”

“Good. Your stamina’s getting a lot better but we’ve got to keep working on it.”

“You’re my own personal gym.” Nasir kissed him again. He started to pull away but Agron leaned forward to prolong the kiss a while longer.

“Practicing to be a personal trainer,” Agron said.

“Oh, are you going to train other people in bed?” Another kiss.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Nasir allowed another press of Agron’s lips before he took a step back-- and tripped over Agron’s clothes.

“Damn it, Agron!”


	12. Chapter 12

The first month passed too quickly and soon it was halfway through February. It was Sunday. Agron had a paper due the next day that was entirely unwritten, in spite of Nasir telling him that he really needed to work on it earlier that week. Of course that meant he was working on it all day in the hopes of rewarding himself that night. Nasir wasn’t holding his breath.

Nasir had been running into Castus more often this semester and, as he’d fortunately stopped flirting with him outrageously, they’d managed to develop something of a friendship. Nasir didn’t tell Agron about it but he didn’t hide the fact that he was talking to him. It was something Agron had to deal with.

So when he ran into Castus in the student commons, he didn’t think anything of stopping to talk to him.

“Nasir.” Castus smiled. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Boredom and a desire to get out and socialize.” Nasir replied.

“We can fix both. Have you thought more about taking my offer to play Call of Duty?”

It _had_ been a long week and Nasir had been craving Call of Duty since he’d played it during break. He should have asked Agron if he could bring back his Xbox, set it up in Agron’s apartment, and play there. But Agron would probably distract him.

“Yeah. I trust you not to hit on me.” Though not enough that he thought it wasn’t worth a warning.

“I promise I won’t.” But Castus gave him this smirk that Nasir hoped didn’t mean he would regret this later.

Of course, he did regret it later but not because Castus started flirting with him.

Nasir lost track of the time so he was taken aback when the phone rang and he saw that one, it had been several hours, and two, it was Agron.

“Hey, taking a break?” He asked Agron as he passed his controller to Castus.

“No, I’m done.”

Nasir felt a moment of triumph as he realized he was in fact going to spend the night in a state of pure bliss.

Then Agron continued. “Are you playing a game?”

“Yeah, I’m at--” Oh. Oh, shit. Agron was not going to be happy once he found out he was in Castus’s apartment.

Then Castus did the worst thing possible. He laughed in victory as he finished the game and then turned to Nasir. “Leaving so soon?”

Nasir closed his eyes.

“Is that Castus?!” Agron demanded. He’d gone from calm and a little teasing in his tone to full fury in approximately fifteen seconds.

“We’re playing Call of Duty.” Nasir replied, doing his best to keep his voice level.

“Call of Duty?!”

Nasir opened his eyes and cast a look at Castus. He mouthed “I have to go” before standing up and grabbing his things as he answered Agron. “Yes, Agron. That’s all.”

“That’s all? Did you-- you didn’t.”

Castus stood and moved to get the door for Nasir but Nasir waved him off.

“I didn’t.”

“That fuck invited you to his apartment?”

Nasir opened the door and stepped outside. “Agron, stop. You know I wouldn’t.”

“I _knew_ you wouldn’t go to that shit’s apartment where he could get you in his bed but you _went anyway!_ ”

“Nothing happened.” Nasir’s voice turned sharp.

“The hell it didn’t!”

“Agron, I promise you that I would never--”

The phone beeped at him, signalling that Agron had hung up.

Nasir froze just before he reached the stairs leading down to the ground. “Fuck.” He tried calling Agron back, knowing that he wasn’t going to answer but in case he did…

He didn’t. So Nasir left a voice mail.

“Agron.” Nasir tried to keep his voice calm but Agron had just yelled at him, accused him of sleeping with Castus, and hung up on him. Calm was hard to manage at the moment. “I know you’re angry but I didn’t cheat on you. I missed playing Call of Duty and he offered to let me play. Nothing happened. I told him not to flirt with me and he didn’t. I’m coming over and we’re talking.”

Unfortunately for Nasir’s legs, Agron’s apartment was on the other end of campus from Castus’s. But that was probably good for the situation as it’d give Agron time to cool off. Or work himself into a boiling rage. Nasir hoped for the former.

His legs were aching by the time he got to Agron’s apartment and the fact that he’d pushed himself the whole way hadn’t helped. He’d have to get Agron to take him to the gym more. Assuming he could get through Agron’s thick skull and convince him that he was being both a dick and an idiot.

Nasir stopped in front of Agron’s door, caught his breath, and braced himself before knocking hard. “Agron!”

He waited but there was no response.

He slammed his fist against the door this time. “Agron, open the door or I am talking to you through it!”

“Fuck off!”

“Do you want everyone next door to hear this?” Nasir waited again and this time he was rewarded with the sound of the doorknob turning.

Nasir could tell immediately that time had not tempered Agron’s rage in the slightest. The knuckles on his right hand were bleeding and Nasir suspected that a blood stain in their shape could be found on one of the walls.

“I have nothing to say to you.” Agron snarled.

“I didn’t cheat on you!”

“You were in his apartment!”

“You heard the video game!” Nasir yelled back. “I swear to you, that’s all we--”

“You’re fucking lying! Either you started that video game when I’d called or you’d just finished _fucking_ him. Was it worth it?”

“Agron--”

“Was he any good? Where does that fuck live?”

“I’m telling you the truth. Stop and think about it.”

“I have!” Agron roared.

That was it. Nasir was done with taking the brunt of his anger without fighting back.

“I told you,” he said, eyes narrowing. “When we first started dating I told you that you can’t control who I talk to or who my friends are.”

“That doesn’t mean you can sleep with him! How long have you been fucking?”

“Never!” Nasir yelled. “We have never--”

They were interrupted by someone Nasir had seen in passing as he’d come to and from Agron’s apartment, his neighbor, Donar.

“Hey, I’m trying to study. Can you two either shut up or work this out somewhere else?”

“There’s nothing to work out.” Agron didn’t look at Nasir as he said the words but then he turned to him. “Enjoy fucking that cunt.”

He slammed the door in Nasir’s face.

“Agron!” Nasir pounded on the door again. “Agron, _listen to me!_ ” Don’t--

“I wouldn’t try now.”

Nasir turned to Donar.

“You know how he gets when he’s angry.”

Nasir bit back the urge to tell Donar to fuck off, pounded his fist against the door one last time, and pushed away from it so he could get away from that fucking apartment.

 

It wasn’t any use to try sending Agron a text message. Nasir had to wait until he came to his senses. Spartacus would make him see reason. Nasir just had to…

Nasir punched his pillow before pressing his face into it.

Agron had just broke up with him.

Agron had broken up with him. Six months together and he thought Nasir would sleep with someone else after Nasir had told him that he would never? When he was faced with abundant evidence that all that Nasir was telling him was the truth he ignored it all and instead he--

Fuck, Nasir shouldn’t have gone with Castus. What had he been thinking?

That it wouldn’t blow up so spectacularly in his face.

Nasir’s lungs began to burn so he flipped over onto his back and stared up into the darkness of the room. He didn’t sleep that night.

 

Nasir went to his classes but didn’t pay any attention to them. He kept staring at the clock, waiting to be let out, and hoping he could find Agron. German was particularly painful after recalling the late night study sessions before his last test, when Agron kept teasing him with kisses for getting five answers right in a row.

He just wanted to clear things up and go back to how they had been.

After German class, Nasir knew he had his chance. Agron would be just getting out of his own class. They usually met up afterward and, while he knew Agron wouldn’t wait for him, if he was fast enough he could catch him.

It turned out he was barely fast enough. Agron had reached the sidewalk and was walking back to his apartment. Nasir had to break into a run to catch up to him.

“Agron!”

Agron turned and sneered. “Fuck off.”

Nasir ignored him and stopped in front of him. “We have to talk.”

“No, we don’t and we’re not going to.” Agron started to leave when Nasir grabbed his arm.

“Agron, please. Listen to me. I--”

“Shut the fuck up.” Agron jerked his arm away from Nasir’s hand and hurried down the sidewalk.

“Don’t run away!” Nasir shouted.

Agron stopped, turned, and fixed him with a glare. “There’s nothing to run away from. It’s over.” He then looked away from Nasir and started walking again.

Nasir stood still and watched as Agron’s form shrank with distance. He didn’t notice the other students who had stopped to stare at him, their expressions laced with sympathy.

 

Nasir would have given everything in the world to trade this week for finals, stress and bleeding eyes or not. At least he would have had Agron.

Nasir walked out of his last class for the week, head bowed. Everything felt too heavy-- not just his backpack but his legs. It’d been a trial just to get out of bed in the morning. And when he lifted his head he saw something that made his day even worse, or rather someone. Castus.

The moment Castus saw him he smiled and the well that held Nasir’s anger overflowed.

“Nasir, I was hoping I’d see you.” Castus walked closer but as he did his expression changed from pleased to-- was he actually concerned? Him? “What’s wrong?”

What was wrong? Nasir wanted to punch his face in.

“Agron broke up with me,” he said.

Castus paused, halting in front of Nasir. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry,” Nasir said flatly.

“You might not believe me but I am.”

“You should be sorry because he broke up with me because I went to your apartment.”

Castus’s expression didn’t change. “Nasir, I didn’t invite you to sleep with you. If Agron can’t believe--” He took a half step forward and reached for Nasir’s arm.

Nasir shoved him back. “Are you fucking serious right now?” He snapped. “You hit on me constantly and whenever Agron’s around and you’re going to blame him for thinking something happened?”

“You misunderstand--” Castus started but stopped when Nasir shoved him again, farther this time.

“You were never interested in being my friend! Is this what you were after? And now you’re trying to act sympathetic and giving me a shoulder to cry on well--” Another shove. “Fuck that!”

Castus held up his hands. “Nasir, this is not my fault. You know that.”

Nasir had to take deep breaths to prevent the tears from rising to his eyes. It was just a break up. He’d been through this before. It was hard and it sucked but it wasn’t worth crying over. It wasn’t worth shoving anyone over either.

He curled his hands into fists and stared down at them.

No, it wasn’t Castus’s fault. Nasir had agreed when he should have known better. He knew Agron wouldn’t react well if he found out. He’d done it anyway. He thought Agron could handle it.

Agron couldn’t and that was his problem. They’d both fucked up.

“I’m sorry, Castus.” His voice was empty. His knuckles were turning white as he clenched his fists tighter.

“Have you eaten?” Castus asked.

“I’m not interested.”

“I’m not asking you to go out with me. I’m asking if you’ve eaten,” Castus said evenly.

“No.”

“You should.”

Nasir turned on heels. “I’m not interested in that either,” he said as he walked off.

He almost didn’t notice as Naevia fell into step beside him, fully expecting the person at his side to pass him. He looked at her just as she opened her mouth.

“What was that?”

Nasir looked ahead of him again. “I lost my temper.”

“You never lose your temper. What’s wrong?”

Nasir’s lips twisted into a poor imitation of a smile. “Castus asked me that too.” He didn’t see Naevia’s reaction, focused on the pavement in front of his feet as they walked. “Agron broke up with me.”

“Why?” Naevia asked and she didn’t quite manage to mask her surprise.

“I went to play Call of Duty with Castus and he thought I fucked him.”

Naevia took a breath. “Agron’s an idiot. He takes offense at everything.”

“I dated him, Naevia. I know.”

“Then you should talk to him--”

“I _tried._ ” Nasir’s voice had an edge to it and he could feel another outburst threatening to tear from him, not physical but certainly verbal. He sighed and reigned it in. Castus hadn’t deserved it and Naevia even less. “He won’t speak to me and when I cornered him he told me to ‘shut the fuck up.’”

“Spartacus will talk him out of it.”

“I doubt it.” He could feel Naevia staring at him.

“Let’s grab something to eat.”

“I don’t want--”

Naevia took hold of Nasir’s arm and started pulling him in the opposite direction, back toward the assortment of fast food places that resided in the building near the student center.

“It’ll take five minutes to eat and then you’ll feel better.”

Nasir knew he wouldn’t.


	13. Chapter 13

Nasir was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. That was how he’d spent his day. The only deviation at the moment was that he was holding his cell phone, counting the rings as he waited for Chadara to pick up only to go to voicemail.

“Hey Chadara, it’s Nasir. I wanted to know if you want to talk some time.” Preferably now. “Call me back. Bye.” He hung up and stared at the phone in his hand.

He couldn’t remember when he’d last talked to Chadara. Ever since they’d got to college they’d just been drifting apart. He couldn’t fully blame Chadara for that. Nasir had also gotten caught up with his new friends-- and Agron.

Knowing he really shouldn’t, Nasir checked his messages. Tapping Agron’s name so he could see their last exchange.

_come by and i promise ill fuck you_

Nasir tossed his phone at his desk before he could read more. Predictably, it missed and clattered to the floor. One of these days he was going to break the damn thing and maybe it had broken just now but he couldn’t be bothered to care.

Nasir sat up so he could do-- whatever. He’d think of something. Then he heard a knock on his door. Assuming Lugo had forgotten his keys again, he opened the door fully expecting to see the bulky man smile at him and tease him about his height. But that’s not what he saw. Instead there was Agron standing in front of him, but before he could get his hopes up he saw a plastic bag full of what looked like the shirts that he’d left at Agron’s apartment and Agron had never bothered returning due to what Nasir suspected was less forgetfulness and more the fact that Agron just wanted to keep them.

Apparently he didn’t any longer.

“These are yours,” Agron said shortly.

Nasir stared at him, acutely aware that he hadn’t brushed his hair that day and after lying in bed for just as long it was bound to be an ungodly mess, and just as acutely aware that Agron likely no longer gave a fuck.

Nasir took the bag. “I still have one of your shirts.”

“Don’t bother.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Agron started down the hall.

Nasir dropped the bag, spilling his shirts onto the floor. He stepped out and followed Agron. “I didn’t cheat on you!”

Agron turned back. The scowl on his face made it clear exactly what he thought of that statement. “You expect me to believe that?”

Nasir kept his voice low, not rising to meet Agron’s anger. “I would believe you.”

Agron bared his teeth as he let out a short, biting laugh. “You would believe me if I went to the home of someone who flirted with me constantly?”

“I trust you,” Nasir said. “As I thought you trusted me.”

Agron stared back at Nasir and, while he was no longer glaring at him, his jaw was still clenched. “I did.” He started walking again and turned the corner.

“Agron!”

Nasir went after him but by the time he rounded the corner Agron had the door to the stairs open and a moment later he had closed it behind him without even a glance behind him.

 

Chadara got back to him within a day and they agreed to talk over dinner. It wasn’t the best decision because it was pretty crowded and not the best place to talk about things like break ups and _feelings_ but Nasir didn’t mind so much keeping the latter to himself.

“Well to hell with him.” Chadara took a sip of her coke directly after speaking. “It’s not like you don’t have men lining up for you.”

Nasir had his cheek resting against his hand. “Hm.”

“There’s Castus, and if it’s anything like high school and you put in an effort, you’ll be very busy.”

“I told you. I stopped doing that.”

“I don’t see why. You had fun.”

“It was at first, then I wanted something more.” And, after about a year of being single (and untouched), he’d had it before it imploded. He glanced at the door and froze.

Shit, he never should have agreed to come to Sinuessa. He should have gone to any other place but Sinuessa because then something stupid was going to happen like Spartacus having the same idea Chadara had and bringing Agron here.

“Chadara, pretend you’re waiting for someone.”

“What--”

Nasir quickly ducked under the table before, he hoped, Agron could spot him. Fortunately it was a booth so he wasn’t totally exposed.

This was by far the most ridiculous, embarrassing, and over the top reaction he’d had to a break up but in the split second after he saw Agron it had seemed perfectly logical. Now it just seemed dumb. Exceedingly dumb and everyone who’d seen that little stunt was going to agree, especially Agron if he’d noticed.

Not that it really mattered what Agron thought anymore.

“You’re being an idiot.” He heard Spartacus say as he saw them walk past the table-- or rather their legs.

“I’m not talking about it.” Agron responded harshly.

Nasir felt the booth shake as Agron and Spartacus must have taken a seat in the next booth.

Chadara nudged him with her foot. “Alright.”

No. No, it was definitely not all right because Agron was right behind him, possibly seated just opposite him and sure to see him if he got up.

“It’s all right,” Chadara said and gave him a little kick this time.

Nasir slid back up to the table and glanced behind him. Agron was seated with his back to him and Nasir would have to make a note not to lean back or else he’d bump into him. Spartacus sat across and caught Nasir’s eye and gave him the smallest of smiles before turning his attention back to Agron.

Nasir leaned forward and resisted the strong impulse to put his face in his hands.

“Don’t be dramatic.” Chadara whispered.

Nasir shook his head. He was not being dramatic. He was pointedly not being dramatic.

“I talked to Naevia,” Spartacus said.

Oh great, Nasir knew where this was going.

“She said she saw Nasir shoving Castus away from him-- several times. She says he looked pissed. That’s not the reaction of someone who just slept with that person.”

“That’s expecting him to act fucking reasonably.”

Oh yeah, Agron was one to talk.

“Nasir is a reasonable person.”

“Nasir is a cunt.” Agron spat.

Nasir saw Chadara’s lips press into a thin line and wondered if he was faring any better.

“Agron--”

“He thinks I’m stupid enough that I’ll buy him going over to play a video game? I heard Castus laughing. He must have thought it was so much fucking fun to fuck my boyfriend while my back was turned. And Nasir must have missed spreading his legs like a girl for every guy that glanced his fucking way.”

The hand Nasir had on his thigh clenched into a fist.

“Agron, stop.”

“He was probably fucking that fuck the whole time and I fell for all his fucking lies. Who knows who else he sucked off. He’s nothing but a whore.”

Chadara’s face was red and she was garing directly above Nasir, presumably at the back of Agron’s head.

“Agron, I mean it. You need to stop now.”

“He can’t even charge anything for it because he’s so bad--”

Nasir got out his wallet and set his money on the table.

“He’d just lie back with his legs spread while I pity fucked him.”

Nasir slid out of the booth. “Thanks for the dinner, Chadara.”

As quickly as turning off a light switch, Agron fell silent. No one said anything as Nasir walked toward the exit.

“Nasir, I--”

Nasir didn’t look back at Agron’s words, nor the ones that came out of Chadara’s mouth, telling him to shut up and that he could go to hell for everything he’d said.

When Nasir stepped outside, he took out his phone, fingers moving in the now familiar pattern.

_come by and i promise ill fuck you_

Nasir stared at the text for a few seconds, the hurled his phone down onto the pavement. The screen shattered and a crack ran down the phone itself as it burst open.

 

Nasir wrote down what phone numbers he remembered, then dug through his things until he found Agron’s shirts and threw them out, not even hesitating as he piled them in the dumpster.

He called his parents using the phone in his dorm, explained he’d broken his phone, and endured their anger until they agreed to help him pay for another one. Then he had Naevia drive him out to buy one. They didn’t talk about Agron on the way there.

Getting a new phone was a relief. Oh, it set him back quite a bit and had earned him his parents ire, but there weren’t any texts to torture himself with. There wasn’t Agron’s name there, alongside his phone number, taunting Nasir as he tried to force himself to delete it. It helped make him feel like it was a new start.

Well, it felt like that until about five minutes into the return drive.

“We’re thinking about going out this Saturday. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“Will Agron be there?”

Naevia kept her eyes on the road. “Yes.”

“I don’t think I should go.” Nasir replied.

“Don’t make us choose between you.”

“I’m not.” Nasir stared at the buildings they drove past. “But I don’t think we should be together in any sense of the word.”

“I thought you wanted to.”

“Not anymore.”

Naevia was quiet for about a block but when they ran into traffic, she stopped the car and looked at Nasir. “What happened?”

“He’s an asshole,” Nasir said simply as if that explained everything.

“Of course he’s an asshole but yesterday he was the kind of asshole you liked.”

“I overheard what he thinks about me. He thinks I’m a whore who spreads his legs like a girl and was so bad in bed he fucked me because he pitied me.”

Naevia’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “He said that?”

“Using those words.”

“Asshole.” Naevia muttered.

 

Two days later, when Nasir was walking to his class he passed Agron again. This time Agron was the one to try and catch his gaze while Nasir ignored him.

“Nasir--”

Agron reached for his arm. His fingers were just closing around him when, without breaking step, Nasir jerked his arm away. He denied the fact that his heart felt like it seized when Agron touched him and didn’t look back as his steps carried him farther away from his ex.

He focused on his class when he got there. He took notes. He didn’t think about anything else. He didn’t think about Agron’s hands, sliding over his body, or Agron’s lips, voicing the words that had made Nasir’s mind freeze and his blood run equally cold. It was the furthest from his mind when he ran into Castus again.

“Nasir,” Castus began, not smiling this time. “You look better.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry about before.”

Nasir stared at the man in front of him-- handsome and so much better with his words than Agron was-- confident and interested in Nasir. He had never been more tempted than to take him up on his offer, ask if he wanted to play a video game, and then let Castus fuck him just like Agron imagined they had.

“I’ve been through my share of messy break ups. I understand.”

“I’m still sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

 _If you want me to make it up to you,_ he almost said.

“Would you like to walk with me?”

“Yeah, I would.”

They walked together. Castus asked him if he’d eaten. Nasir had but it would have been so easy to say that no, he hadn’t. He’d love to eat with him. Castus asked about classes and it would have been easy to ask if Castus would help him study for biology, knowing that Castus had done well on the subject. And on so many occasions Nasir nearly told him that he was good at Call of Duty and really they should play it again. Now.

Nasir didn’t do any of these things. It would have felt good and distracting and maybe for a while he could forget everything but Castus’s lips on him and how he felt between his thighs, but in the end it would have meant nothing, not to him.

Instead he said something else as they neared Nasir’s dorm. “I’ll see you later.”

About ten minutes after he got back to his room he heard his phone beep. His heart beat faster as, for a brief moment, he expected another text from Agron, before realizing he wasn’t getting one. Agron didn’t know his new phone number and even if he did, Nasir didn’t want to talk to him.

Instead, it was a message from Naevia.

_We’re seeing Pompeii Saturday at 7:00. Agron won’t be there._

Nasir quickly texted back that that was great.

 

The movie… wasn’t great. But it had Jon Snow and his abs in it and everyone was there including an unfamiliar face: a friend of his friends’ that had graduated the year before. Onoemaus must have been used to them, either that or missed them, as he indulged Gannicus’s antics. The two of them looked like they were best friends. His presence almost kept Nasir from noticing Agron’s absence but Spartacus looked like he felt it.

As they filed out of the theater Spartacus spoke up. “Nasir, would you like to ride back with me?”

“Naevia--”

“Grocery shopping,” Naevia quickly said. Quickly enough that Nasir had no doubt it was an excuse made up on the spot. “You don’t want to see Crixus and I argue over how much milk to get.”

“I don’t,” Nasir said. “Alright, Spartacus.”

They were quiet as they climbed into the car. Spartacus buckled his seatbelt, turned the car on, locked the doors, and then stayed there.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it.” Spartacus began in the same even tones he used either during a serious conversation or when he was taking himself (and his History Club duties) too seriously.

“But Agron is sorry.” He continued.

“You’re right. I don’t want to talk about this.” Nasir would have got out of the car if that meant it wouldn’t leave him either with Spartacus following or stranded in the parking lot of a movie theater.

“He didn’t mean what he said.”

“Yes, he did,” Nasir said flatly. “We both know that he did.”

“I’m not telling you to go back to him. I’m not telling you to give him a second chance. I’m telling you that, whatever he said, he’s sorry. He still thinks you cheated on him and he’s still angry but he knows he shouldn’t have said that.”

“He says a lot of things he shouldn’t. That doesn’t excuse it.”

“It doesn’t.” Spartacus looked over his shoulder, waited for a car to pass, and began to back up. “I said what I needed to say. What kind of music do you like?”


	14. Chapter 14

The next week passed in much the same way as the one before. Nasir would ignore Agron, and then by the end of the week, Agron would ignore Nasir as well, both of them pointedly avoiding looking at the other.

Nasir found that his schedule was much freer that it had been before the break up. He was no longer visiting Agron every day or going some place with him. He worked on his homework, actually started on a paper due several weeks later, and, when invited, hung out with Lugo and his friends and got obscenely drunk. In hindsight he should have waited until the weekend to do that.

The next day, Friday, it took an hour for his hangover to go away. By that time he could have easily made it to the History Club meeting. He hadn’t gone last time, for obvious reasons. He didn’t go this time either, for the very same reasons.

What he didn’t expect from that was to hear a knock on the door that evening, open it, and see Naevia and Mira looking like him like they were prepared to hold an intervention for him.

“This isn’t a good time.” Nasir knew, from the looks on their faces, that it was never going to be a good time for whatever they had in mind.

“Nasir, you need to stop this,” Mira said. “You’re both adults. You can’t stop going to History Club just because he’s there.”

“I can live without free pizza.”

“This isn’t about the free pizza.” Naevia spoke this time. “We miss having you there. I think Agron can handle your presence for an hour and I know you can handle his.”

Nasir counted back from ten. “It’s been two weeks. Can I have some time to adjust?”

“If he says anything else he’ll have five pissed off people ready to beat him up, and those guys work out.” Naevia promised.

“I don’t want him to get beat up.” Nasir replied. He rested his hand on the door. “I’ll go later but not--”

“Next week,” Naevia said firmly. “You’re going next week.”

Nasir sighed. “Next week.” He agreed.

 

Next week was horrible. Why he’d ever promised to go… He knew the moment he walked into the room that he’d made a mistake. The group had been laughing at something, then went quiet as Nasir stepped in. Agron’s jaw clenched and he crossed his arms over his chest before looking away.

“So Spartacus, how’s that fuck Batiatus?”

Fortunately for Agron, their sponsor had abandoned them that semester so he had no repercussions for bad mouthing a professor.

Nasir ignored him and took a seat between Naevia and Mira, which they must have been saving for him.

Nasir missed what Spartacus said but he heard Agron’s response to him.

“I heard his wife made a pass at Crixus. Are all cheating bitches crazy like--”

“Agron!” Spartacus raised his voice and placed his hands on his desk.

Nasir got up. “Forget it.”

Mira took his hand. “Nasir, don’t let him get to you.”

“No, I’ll make things easy on everyone.”

“Yeah, you’re really easy, Nasir.”

“Fuck you!” Nasir shouted.

Spartacus didn’t look away from his friend. “Agron. Get out.”

Agron looked at his roommate in surprise. “What?”

“You’re not going to talk to Nasir like that. I’m embarrassed that I stood up for you. Leave until you can control yourself.”

Agron unfolded his arms, grabbed his backpack, and stormed out of the room, shooting a glare at everyone save Nasir as he left.

No one moved until Gannicus stood and grabbed another slice of pizza. He then proceeded to hold it up like a trophy. “He is a dick so big he rivals my own.”

 

Saturday afternoon Nasir was playing soccer with Crixus, Naevia, and Mira. It was an every man for themselves thing and they used their backpacks set apart as a goal. Nasir and Mira didn’t stand a chance against the couple and Crixus barely ended up winning.

When they were done, Nasir grabbed his backpack and heard a beep that informed him he had a waiting text message… or several.

Nasir closed his eyes when he saw the number. He braced himself, then looked.

_i was a total dick and im sorry_

_i didnt mean it_

_i understand if you dont want to talk but i am sorry i shouldnt have said that_

_im sorry nasir_

“Who gave Agron my number?” He asked the others, who stopped laughing at whatever joke Crixus had told.

“What?” Naevia asked. “What did he send you?”

“Who gave him my number?” Nasir repeated. He watched as his friends exchanged glances, each of them shaking their head.

“None of us,” Crixus said. “If you want me to talk to that fuck--”

“It’s fine. I can handle it.” He turned his attention back to his phone.

_How did you get this number?_

He got his backpack on and said a curt goodbye to the others before heading back to his dorm, no longer interested in doing anything else with his friends. He only had to wait a few minutes for the response.

_borrowed spartacus phone_

Nasir was grateful there was no one walking next to him that he could bump into.

_First, you’re a dick. Second,_ Nasir paused. _you’re a dick. Third, learn how to fucking type on your phone. Fourth, don’t text me again._

And yet, half a minute later.

_im sorry_

Nasir’s fingers kept missing the keys as he typed back the response and he’d have to start over.

_You’re still a dick._

He blocked Agron’s number.

 

If there was anything Nasir had learned, it was that he should stop agreeing to go places with Chadara because something bad was going to happen, usually involving Agron. This was no exception.

He’d seen Agron almost the moment he entered the frat house. He was drinking something, standing next to Spartacus, glaring at someone or perhaps no one at all. Nasir tried to get himself as far away from him as possible.

Chadara followed him as he made his way to grab a drink. He didn’t say anything, just downed first one and then the other and by the time he’d realized he’d had too much Chadara had disappeared somewhere.

Had she told him to wait there for a minute? He didn’t remember.

Whatever the case, he couldn’t stay there. The party hadn’t seemed so crowded before but now it felt like people were pressing in on him. He stumbled his way past and between people until he reached outside-- and threw up in the rosebush by the door.

He kept throwing up for about a minute. When he started dry heaving he threw his hand out to grasp something to keep him from falling into what were sure to be very painful thorns. Someone grabbed him and pulled him back, against a body that his own seemed to find very familiar.

“Here.”

The hand holding a bottle of water out for him was also very familiar. Nasir’s fingers brushed Agron’s as he grabbed the bottle.

“You should pace yourself.”

Nasir pushed himself away from Agron. “Thanks,” he said dully, not meeting Agron’s gaze. He tried to walk away from the house but tripped over the step he’d forgotten was there.

Once again, Agron grabbed his arm and steadied him.

“Now who’s an idiot?” He asked quietly as he set Nasir down on the step and sat beside him.

“You.” Nasir wiped vomit from his mouth, opened the bottle, and took a drink.

“Yeah, I won’t argue.” Agron watched Nasir. “Who did you come with?”

Nasir pulled the bottle from his lips and glared at Agron. “Not Castus.”

“I wasn’t asking about him. Someone needs to walk you back home.”

Someone who wasn’t Agron.

“Chadara.”

“Stay here while I get her.” Agron stood and went back inside the house.

Nasir sat, dizzy, trying not to throw up the water he’d just drunk and trying not to think about the asshole who’d just talked to him.

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

Nasir looked up-- _slowly_ \-- and saw Chadara smiling down at him.

“Come on.” She crouched and closed her hand around his arm, then pulled him up. “I’m taking you home and then I’m going to have some more fun.”

 

Fortunately for everyone who had gone to the party, but most especially Nasir, the next day was a Sunday. He slept in. Lugo slept in. Everyone was happy until Nasir’s stomach started grumbling. He pushed himself up and fought back against the wave of dizziness and nausea that overtook him. Alright, so maybe food right now was not such a good idea.

As he lay there, eyes closed, he thought back to last night.

Groaning, he reached for his phone and unblocked a number.

_Thanks._

Nasir set his phone by his side so that, several minutes later, when he got a response he could easily hold it up to check.

_dont mention it._


	15. Chapter 15

In the next few weeks Agron and Nasir remained distant but Nasir went to the History Club meetings and Agron hadn’t needed to be thrown out again. But they hadn’t exchanged words since the party.

So when Spartacus asked him if he wanted to see Captain America, Nasir paused.

“Before you ask, Agron will be there.”

Now that wasn’t a fair choice. Nasir would like to see Cap throwing his shield and, hopefully, flaunting his ass, but Agron…

“You two haven’t yelled at each other in weeks. You’ll be fine.”

Nasir let out a heavy breath. “Yeah. Alright.”

They were all going in Spartacus’s car. They picked up Nasir outside of his dorm and he sat in the backseat with Crixus. He stayed quiet through most of the ride there, and when he finally cracked a joke it prompted a laugh from Agron that probably started them both. He’d lapsed back into silence after that.

When they took seats in the movie theater it was with Agron at one end and Nasir on the other.

The movie was actually-- it was really good. Distracting, just what he needed, and he forgot that Agron was sitting a few seats away. But once the credits started he remembered, even as he tried to forget when they stingers came on.

They filed out of the theater, Nasir in the lead and eager to put more space between him and his ex.

“That was really fucking good.” Agron said behind Nasir. “Only way it could have got better was if what’s his name and Captain America took off their shirts.”

“I think you’re missing several other articles of clothing,” Nasir said before he realized what he was doing.

Agron laughed.

Then they said nothing.

“Shotgun,” Crixus said as they approached Spartacus’s car.

“That’s my seat!” Agron protested as Crixus opened the front passenger door.

“Too bad.” Crixus took his seat.

“No, I need--”

“Agron.” Spartacus clapped his shoulder as he passed him. “You can live with it.”

Nasir and Agron shared a glance. Nasir shook his head and got into the car, keeping his eyes out the window once he’d got his seatbelt on. Agron-- he didn’t know what Agron was doing but it was probably the same, with or without glances at him.

Spartacus and Crixus carried the conversation as Spartacus drove them back to campus. Eventually, both Nasir and Agron felt more comfortable chiming in and Nasir stopped glancing at the clock to see how long he’d have to suffer through this. So he didn’t know how long it had been when it happened.

There was no warning. In one moment Nasir was laughing at Crixus’s joke and in the next he heard Spartacus swear. The car swerved, there was the jolt of an impact, and then he was being flung forward as he heard the crunch of metal. Then they were rolling. The frame of the car bent as it hit first the road on its side, then on the top, and then the grass on its other side. Though it took more than a few moments for Nasir to figure that out. Everything had slowed and remained that way when they finally hit something to stop the roll.

The car was on its side, with Nasir’s window facing the night sky. The only thing that kept him from falling down on top of Agron was the seat belt that had held him in place throughout the accident.

Agron’s was the first voice to break the silence. “NASIR!”

“I’m fine.” That was Nasir’s automatic reaction. He was sure it was the case. He had a sharp pain in his side but he felt clear headed and when he pressed his hand to it there was only a bit of blood. Not a deep wound, just a painful one.

Agron grunted as he reached up and grabbed Nasir’s arm, his grasp tight. “Nasir.”

Nasir remembered. Agron’s brother had been hit by a car. He’d died in front of Agron. Now they were in a car, on their side, and the first person he’d called to was Nasir.

“Agron, it’s all right.” Though he didn’t know if that was true. He was all right at least.

Agron didn’t release his arm. “Spartacus? Crixus?”

“I’m alive.” Spartacus replied but his voice was strained. “I’m trapped. Crixus?” He snapped and Nasir saw movement ahead of him but there was no response.

“Who has their phone?” Spartacus asked.

Nasir prayed that his was still in his pocket but it was gone. “I don’t.”

“Mine is here.” Agron still sounded panicked, though he was clamping down on it, but there was pain as well. He let go of Nasir’s arm. “I’ve got it. I can’t-- Nasir, you’ll have to--”

“Are you hurt?” Nasir felt the strange calm he’d fallen into since the accident started coming apart.

“Fucking arm. It’s broken.” Agron held his phone up to Nasir.

Nasir’s fingers fumbled but he managed to grab it. Once he turned the phone on the light illuminated enough of the car that he wished it hadn’t. Debris was everywhere-- the frame of the car was bent and Nasir saw a sharp edge on the door to his left that explained why his side hurt.

He dialed 911 and held the phone to his ear.

“Crixus?” He heard Spartacus say. He must have turned the engine off as the car stopped rumbling.

“911 Emergency.”

Nasir knew immediately that this was not good. The reception was not bad and kept being interrupted by static.

“I was in a car accident. I’m with three of my friends. One isn’t responding. I don’t know how he is. The other’s arm is broken.”

“Where are you?” The woman’s voice was cool and collected, detached even.

Nasir rattled the road they were on. “The car’s on its side.”

“Is the engine off?”

“It is.”

“See if you can get out but don’t--” Static.

“I can’t hear you.”

Nothing but more static.

“Are you there? I can’t--”

And then the dialtone.

“Shit.” He looked at Agron. “We need to get out of here. If I get out of my seat belt I’ll hit you.”

“Grab onto the door,” Spartacus said.

Through the dark he could see Agron nod then he placed a hand on Nasir’s leg to help support him.

Wishing that he had as much upper body strength as his companions, Nasir grabbed onto the door with one hand, careful to avoid the jagged edge, then quickly unbuckled his seatbelt. He started to fall but Agron kept him in the air enough for Nasir to swing his leg, looking down, to direct it just between Agron and step onto the other car door.

“O.K., Spartacus. Is Crixus--”

“Get out first.”

Agron squeezed Nasir’s leg until his grip was almost painful. Nasir opened the door handle but had to push up hard to get the door itself to open. There was a wrenching sound as it finally opened.

Nasir got his hands around the side of the car and started pulling. He bit his lip, grunted anyway, pulled and kicked off the ground, all with Agron supporting him until half of his body was outside.

The car was against a large tree and, unfortunately, it was not large enough not to be broken nearly in half. Any second now it was going to topple over and take them with it.

“Wait! I’m coming back!”

Nasir started lowering himself down, trying not to hit Agron with his foot.

“Why are you--”

The tree began to crack and bend.

“Get me down!” Nasir shouted.

The hand around his foot guided him as Nasir eased himself back inside the car but he hadn’t yet gotten back inside all the way when the tree snapped entirely in half.

His head struck the car as he was thrown out, causing a bursting stinging sensation down his brow and right cheek. He rolled forward until he also hit something-- another tree and it sent a sharp ache down his spine as his back met wood.

“NASIR!”

He lay sprawled on the ground, with the grass beneath him. He wiggled his toes to make sure he wasn’t paralyzed.

“Yeah,” he said weakly. “I’m all right.” He started to push himself up and oh fuck that hurt.

“Nasir! Fuck! Fucking shit!” Agron continued to curse as he scrambled out of the car. His right arm was held close to his chest. “Nasir!”

Nasir was on his feet by now and the pain was no longer as intense. It was probably the adrenaline masking it. He could feel droplets of blood falling down his cheek and quickly wiped them away. His shirt was damp too. That was probably just from rolling on the grass.

“I’m fine. It was raining earlier. The ground is soft.”

Agron threw his arm around Nasir, careful not to press against him.

“Jesus fuck, Nasir…”

Nasir cupped the back of Agron’s head and his fingers threaded through Agron’s hair in a habitual movement.

“I’m all right.”

Agron pressed his forehead to Nasir’s. Nasir could feel his heavy breaths in the air between them. Then Agron jerked back.

“You’re bleeding.” He touched Nasir’s head and Nasir winced.

“Just a cut. Your arm--” He started.

“You need to get to Crixus!” Spartacus yelled.

Nasir had no way of telling in the dark if a broken arm was all Agron was suffering from but he couldn’t press the issue now. They hadn’t heard from Crixus and Agron was already running around the car to get to him.

Nasir followed and saw Agron reach through the broken windshield to unlock the door and open it.

“Help me get him out.” Agron tried to pull Crixus free with his one arm.

It obviously wasn’t going to work, even if the two of them both grabbed him. They simply wouldn’t be able to keep him from falling to the ground. One of them alone could do it.

“I’ll get him.” Nasir stepped in front of Agron, who had no choice but to fall back. Just as Nasir had no choice but to succeed in pulling a man that dwarfed him in size out of a wrecked car.

“Crixus?” Nasir reached for his throat to feel his pulse and only felt blood. He reached to get him out of his seatbelt then grabbed his arm and pulled, grabbing his other arm as he rolled toward him.

He hissed and pulled him free of the car, dragging him a fair distance away and spreading him out on the ground.

“Agron, do you know CPR?”

“Fuck, he’s not--”

“Agron!”

“Is he breathing?”

“No.”

“Lock your hands and put them over his chest. No, not that, like--” Agron touched Nasir’s hands and did his best to adjust their position but Nasir had to guess at what he was getting out. “Now press down hard and fast.”

“And then--”

“Nothing. Keep going. You’re not trained to do anything else.”

Nasir was too focused on Crixus to see Agron, but he could feel his eyes on him.

“Spartacus!” Agron yelled. “I’m going to get you out!” He left Nasir to try and help their friend.

A bead of sweat poured down Nasir’s face. He couldn’t really see Crixus in the dark but he could make out the blood that had flowed from Crixus’s head down to his throat. Some of it stained his shirt. He kept compressing his chest, fast just like Agron had said, and his arms were starting to ache but he kept going.

“Crixus, come on.” He whispered.

Crixus couldn’t die. He had Naevia and--

Shit, Naevia…

“Fuck damn it!” Agron swore.

He was trying to get Spartacus out but he only had one arm to use and Spartacus was trapped…

Nasir knew that he was bleeding. He knew that his shirt was damp and that was to be expected because, while it was just a shallow wound, even shallow wounds bled. When he finally felt something seep onto his pants and felt it flow down onto his leg he realized that it wasn’t as shallow as he thought.

He couldn’t stop though because Crixus wasn’t breathing and he was going to…

Die. He was going to die.

He was already dead.

“Nasir? How’s Crixus?” Spartacus called.

“He’s still not-- breathing!” Nasir panted.

“Keep going!” Agron yelled. “I got Spartacus out. We’re going to try and call 911 again.”

Good… that was good. Still Nasir felt uneasy, like he was going to be sick. The eerie calm he’d felt before was gone. His body started to shake and it was growing harder to keep his hands over Crixus’s chest.

A few minutes passed. Or maybe more. He didn’t really know but he was leaning over Crixus a little more, finding it harder not to push all of his weight into him and then bring his weight away so he could do another compression.

“Found it.” Spartacus’s voice seemed to come from a distance. “Agron, your arm--”

“I know. It’s… Fuck. Nasir?”

“Still not--”

There were hurried footsteps as the two of them approached.

“Are you--” Agron stopped.

The light from the phone shone directly onto Nasir, and even the fast contraction of his pupils couldn’t stop his eyes from hurting at the sudden brightness.

“Fuck everything! Nasir!”

Agron grabbed his arm but it was Spartacus who got behind him and dragged him away from Crixus.

“I need to--” Nasir tried to get out of Spartacus’s grip.

“Lie down and be still!” Spartacus urged.

“Why didn’t you fucking tell me you were bleeding!” Agron snapped. “There’s blood all over the fucking ground! Jesus fuck, your face--”

“I’ll get Crixus,” Spartacus said. “Put pressure on--”

“I know what to fucking do!” Agron yelled. He hiked up Nasir’s shirt and found the wound with his hand, pressing down on it. “You told me you were fine!”

“I didn’t think it was bad.” Nasir mumbled.

“Well, it’s fucking bad!” Agron snapped. He looked from Nasir’s chest to his eyes. “Don’t die.”

“I’m not going to die.”

“Because you can’t die hating me.” Agron continued.

Nasir couldn’t make out Agron’s face entirely but they were close enough that he could see the slight furrow in his brow, how his lips were pulled tight together to keep himself from speaking. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“I don’t hate you. I--”

“Don’t talk.”

Nasir closed his mouth. He held Agron’s gaze until he heard the blare of sirens approaching. He turned his head and watched as the lights of the ambulances grew nearer until they stopped in front of them and the paramedics piled out. They headed for Crixus first.

“He’s bleeding!” Agron yelled to the woman who approached them. She shone her flashflight first in Nasir’s face, causing him to wince, then down his body.

“Let me see him.”

Another hand replaced Agron’s but the man only moved back by a fraction, still hovering over Nasir until a moment later another paramedic pulled him aside.

“Can you tell me your name?” The woman over Nasir asked.

“Nasir.”

“Nasir, what’s the date?”

Nasir paused, trying to push through his thoughts to find the right one. “I don’t-- know.”

They wheeled up a stretcher and the paramedic took her hand off Nasir and took hold of his arms while another grabbed his legs.

“Promise we won’t drop you.”

Nasir turned his head once he was on the stretcher. Agron was not far from him with his head arched back and staring at the sky as they examined his arm. Spartacus was also being laid on a stretcher. And Crixus… he was gone.

“Is my friend dead?” Nasir asked.

“We’ll do everything we can for him. I need you to answer some questions.”

“Is he dead?” Nasir repeated.

But then they were loading him into the ambulance.

“Nasir, do you know your blood type?”


	16. Chapter 16

Even with the new blood flowing through his veins, Nasir had been out of his mind with anxiety when they tried to get him into the MRI. After he pounded on the machinery, they brought him out and sedated him. After that, Nasir lay back-- letting them do whatever. He even let them finish stitching his face, just as they had done with the wound on his chest, voicing no protests.

“My friends?” He asked almost lazily though there was still a bite of anxiety when he considered what might have happened to them. It was hard to consider when he was so tired…

“We’ll let you know when we can.”

“Crixus--”

“I don’t know.” The nurse drew back and lay his hand on Nasir’s arm. “Rest.”

Nasir didn’t want to. He wanted to know if Crixus was alive. He wanted to talk to Spartacus. He wanted to see Agron. But all he could do was lie in bed and within a few short minutes sleep had claimed him.

 

“Nasir?”

Nasir opened his eyes at the sound of his brother’s voice. He had no way of telling how much time had passed once he’d awoken, mainly because he didn’t recall falling asleep.

Faizan stood over him. His hand lay gently over Nasir’s. “You told the nurse to contact me.”

Nasir’s brow wrinkled. “I did?”

“You did.” Faizan took his hand away. “I called your parents. They told me to tell you they love you and they’ll be here when you’re discharged later today.”

“Today?”

“The 6th. It’s a little after eight in the morning.”

Nasir started to sit up but the movement pulled at his flesh, including a patch that had been stitched back together, and he lay back down. “How-- are my friends?”

“I only know about you. Was Agron with you?”

“I--” Nasir wished he’d actually told his brother that Agron had broken his heart-- that he had broken up with him-- but their brief conversations since then hadn’t touched on the subject. “Yeah.”

“I’m sure he’s all right.”

“Yeah…”

Only he wasn’t. He couldn’t be. After what had happened to Duro, this had only brought up the past. If Crixus was dead too…

If Crixus was dead…

“Is there any way you can check?” He asked.

“I don’t think they’ll tell me.” Faizan responded.

A man cleared his throat and Nasir and Faizan both looked toward the door. Spartacus was standing there, paler than usual, clearly tired, and he held himself stiffly as he walked closer.

“They discharged me about half an hour ago. I spoke with Agron’s parents. He had surgery on his arm and they’re discharging him today. Crixus also had surgery. He’s in critical condition and until he wakes up they won’t know how he’ll be mentally.”

“Is he brain dead?” Nasir asked.

“They don’t think so.”

Think but not know.

Spartacus looked at Nasir’s brother. “Faizan?”

“Yes.”

Spartacus held out his hand. “Spartacus. I’m Nasir’s friend.”

They shook hands while Nasir still felt like he was reeling. But Agron was all right. Spartacus was talking to him. Agron was--

“Nasir?” Spartacus started. “How are you?”

“I--” He didn’t know. This was a lot to process. “I’m fine.”

“The doctors agree,” Faizan said. “They’re discharging you today. Your parents want you to stay with them in a hotel.”

Nasir sighed. Of course they wanted that. The question was whether or not they could be in the same room without leaping at each other’s throats. His bet was no.

“Do the doctors think I’m well enough to be on my own?”

“Yes,” Faizan said.

“I’ll go back to my dorm. My roommate should behave.” Better than his parents, at any rate.

“You could stay with me.” Faizan offered.

Nasir considered it for a moment. He could live with his brother again, shortly, talk and catch up when he wasn’t resting.

“You don’t mind?”

“No, I’ll feel better if you do.”

“Alright.”

“You should know, the person who crashed into us, some kid named Crassus-- he tried to drive off but they caught him down the road. I’m going to contact a lawyer for all of us. It’ll probably take a while so let me worry about it.”

So that was what happened. Someone hit them. Nasir thought so but it’d been so confusing that he hadn’t been able to make sense of it and there had been no car nearby. That the other driver freaked and ran explained it. Coward. Nasir wanted to strangle him.

“I’d better go,” Spartacus said, glancing from one brother to the other. “I wanted to see how you were doing before I left… I’ll let Agron know. He was asking about you.”

Nasir supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. “He was?”

“Yeah. They needed to sedate him. He’s not taking this well. If you want to see him…”

“Mm.”

“I’m glad to see you’re all right.” Spartacus continued. “I’ll call you when I hear something about Crixus.”

“Thanks. I’m glad you’re all right too.”

When Spartacus left Nasir finally looked at his brother, who was staring at him.

“Did something happen with you and Agron?” He asked in the same calm, level voice.

Time to get it over with. “He broke up with me.”

“Was it messy?”

“You could say that.” Nasir closed his eyes. The exhaustion had never gone away and he could feel it seeping through his body and down into his bones, weighing him down.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was…” Nasir had to think for a moment. “Two months ago. I’m over it,” he said stiffly.

“You’re a bad liar.”

Nasir sighed. “I’ve heard that.” He stared at his feet, remembering everything that Agron had said and how he’d slung his arm around him last night and pressed their foreheads together. Did an act spurred by panic really make up for what had happened?

No.

Nasir looked back at his brother. “We know how I am. How have you been?”

Faizan stayed and talked to him until the nurse came to prep him for discharge. They removed his IV. Nasir noted a distinct purple bruise on his arm as the needle came out. He received instructions: generally take it easy. Faizan hadn’t mentioned that Nasir had a concussion-- either he’d forgotten or assumed that Nasir already knew. But the nurse advised that he take a few days off of his classes and tell his teachers about it. And, in case he couldn’t catch all of that, she handed him a piece of paper listing everything he should be doing.

“I thought my parents would be here,” Nasir said as he and his brother stepped out into the lobby.

“They must be running late. Want to wait for them for a bit?”

“Sure.” Nasir looked back at where they’d come from, then at the receptionist manning the front desk. “There’s something I have to do.”

Faizan watched him as Nasir slowly walked over to the desk.

“Hi, I’d like to visit someone.”

 

Nasir peered into Agron’s room. Agron looked like he was sound asleep so Nasir guessed he couldn’t have picked a better time to come. His arm was immobilized in a sling and lay over his chest. At his bedside were what Nasir had to assume were his parents, though the resemblance didn’t strike him at first.

“Sorry to disturb you,” he said.

Agron’s parents turned to him. Both of them looked clearly worried but they seemed to have control over the emotion, or at least his mother did because when she spoke her voice was clear.

“You’re not. Are you Agron’s friend?”

No. No, he wasn’t. Not anymore.

“Yeah,” Nasir said and hoped he wasn’t as bad a liar as his brother said he was. “I’m Nasir.”

The faces of Agron’s parents seemed to brighten.

“He told us about you.” Agron’s father said. Both he and his wife stood. “We’ll give you some time with him.”

Nasir was about to protest. He didn’t really need time alone. He’d just wanted to see him-- briefly-- and then be gone. But apparently Nasir wasn’t the only one to have neglected telling his family that the relationship was over though he hadn’t known that Agron’s parents knew in the first place.

Nasir stepped back to allow Agron’s parents to pass him, then into the room as the door closed behind him.

He stared at Agron, who looked strange in a hospital gown, with an IV sticking out of his hand. Eventually, he took a few steps forward, paused, then took a few more until he was standing by Agron’s bed, looking down at him.

“It’s Nasir,” he said quietly. “I wanted to see how you were doing and for you to know that I’m all right.”

This felt stupid. Agron couldn’t hear him. Nasir _hoped_ he couldn’t hear him. He also hoped this didn’t get back to him but Agron would probably wake up to hear his parents telling him that his boyfriend visited and-- fuck, Nasir just made this ten times worse.

“Your parents probably won’t let me leave for a few more minutes so I’ll… sit down.”

Nasir took a seat on one of the chairs next to Agron, previously occupied by the man’s mother. He probably should have said something more, something like “I forgive you,” and “I know you were worried,” and “you called for me first before anyone else,” but instead he sat there, staring at his former boyfriend. It was the first time Nasir could honestly say that he looked terrible.

“I think it’s been a few minutes,” he said at length, getting out of the chair. “I’ll…” He didn’t know what he was going to do. “Spartacus will tell you how I’m doing later.”

He turned away from Agron.

“Nasir?”

Nasir froze. Oh, hell.

“Yeah,” he said, looking back. “Did you hear any of that?”

“What?” Agron’s eyes were barely open. His hand twitched but he must have thought better of trying to move a hand that still had an IV running through it.

“I was just telling you that I wanted you to know I’m all right.” And that he’d wanted to see Agron but he didn’t care to repeat that now.

“You are?”

Nasir nodded. “Yeah.”

Agron squinted. “I’m really high and tired. Am I imagining you?”

“No.”

Agron didn’t look convinced so Nasir stepped closer and both lightly and briefly brushed his hand against Agron’s forearm.

“Real,” Agron said.

“Real.” Nasir repeated.

“Thanks for coming.”

At any other time, Nasir would have taken that for some outrageously bad flirting but that time in their relationship had passed. So had everything else.

“Spartacus said I should.” Technically he had only suggested it but Nasir knew Spartacus’s meaning.

“Oh.” Agron was quiet for a moment. “Are you sure you’re all right this time?”

“I am. A few stitches and they let me out.” That and the blood transfusion.

“I see that.” Agron’s gaze shifted to Nasir’s cheek.

That would be a regular occurrence until it healed and possibly after so Nasir figured he had better get used to it.

“Spartacus told me you needed surgery for your arm. It’s a bad break?”

“The bone went through my skin. There might be nerve damage. I won’t know for a while.”

That was… definitely not good. It was Agron’s right arm and nerve damage could mean a lot of things in terms of his fine muscle control, ability to write, grip, the list went on and none of it was good.

“It’ll be fine.”

“Yeah…” Agron didn’t sound convinced and Nasir couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t like comfort from him meant anything anymore. Hell, even if it did, it would have been empty. Nasir couldn’t tell the future.

“Nasir…” Agron spoke slowly. “I’m really sorry.”

“Agron, I’d rather not--”

“After the accident, I thought--”

“I really need to--”

“Duro died in my arms and there you were lying on the ground.”

Nasir had been about to leave but once again the muscles in his limbs locked and froze.

“Agron.” His voice might have been quiet but at least it was firm. “I’m all right. It’s over.” Everything between them was.

Agron’s gaze hadn’t once moved away from Nasir’s eyes, even when Nasir couldn’t meet him. He did now though and that was when Agron spoke.

“I love you.”

Nasir had always thoughts moments like this had been exaggerated. Moments like when the breath caught in his lungs and he couldn’t let it out let alone take another breath in. If this had been any other time he would have glared at Agron for daring to tell him that. Agron _loved_ him? When he’d insulted him both to his face and behind his back?

But the idiot was lying on a hospital bed, thinking about how he’d lost his brother and he’d almost lost Nasir too and Spartacus and who knew what would happen to Crixus. Nasir knew what he needed to hear and he wished he could tell him that.

“My-- parents are waiting for me.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. They probably were by now if they’d only been running late. “I need to go. Feel better.”

Nasir turned away quickly but he still caught a glimpse of the way Agron’s face fell-- broke, even. He couldn’t stay to see the rest of his reaction.

“Nice to meet you.” He said to Agron’s parents as he stepped out and then walked down the hall as fast as he could.


	17. Chapter 17

Faizan’s couch unfolded into a bed and Nasir spent a good deal of that day stretched flat on his back resting. The painkillers they’d given him had worn off and it wasn’t just his stitched together flesh that hurt but his neck and, most especially, his back from wrenching it during his fall out of the car. To make matters worse his parents had been… well, part of him was glad to see them and that they were there to support him but things were always so tense with them and it overflowed into everything else. They weren’t pleased that he opted to stay with his brother either and probably took it as a personal affront to them when really it was better for everyone involved.

Or maybe it was an affront to them.

Faizan sat next to him, watching tv with the sound off and closed captioning on. Nasir grabbed his phone, which had been lying next to him in case he got a call from Spartacus to update him on Crixus’s condition.

He went to read the messages he hadn’t deleted.

_dont mention it_

Then, further up.

_im sorry nasir_

He read the words but what he heard was “I love you” and the panic in Agron’s voice as he sat beside him with his hand pressed to Nasir’s chest to staunch the flow of blood.

Nasir hesitated for a long time and slowly typed in his message. It took even longer for him to send it.

_I love you too._

 

Nasir got a few calls later that day. One was from Spartacus, telling him that Crixus still wasn’t awake, another was from his parents, checking up on him, and yet another was from Castus, who wanted to wish him a fast recovery and tell him he was grateful he was alive. He talked a bit with each of them, hung up, and tried to ignore the fact that each time he’d seen their number he’d been disappointed.

It wasn’t like he felt ready to talk to Agron anyway.

“Hey Nasir,” Faizan said.

Nasir opened his eyes and looked up at his brother, who’d just come back from his bedroom. He’d been talking with someone.

“I have to go into work tomorrow. Will you be all right on your own?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I can go back to my dorm if you want.”

“No, here it’s a shorter walk to get food.” Faizan smiled. “You could walk more though. You’ve barely moved all day.”

“Back pain.” Nasir clarified. “Try it. You’ll be right next to me.”

“I’ll pass.”

Nasir’s phone rang and he was so quick to answer it that he didn’t even bother looking at who it was.

“Hello.” He answered.

“Hey,” Agron said.

Nasir wasn’t about to kick Faizan out so he pushed himself up into a sitting position and swung his legs over the edge of his makeshift bed.

“Hey.” He echoed.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine. I’m--” Nasir hissed as he stood and sharp pain ran up his spine and across his back.

“What was that?” Agron asked skeptically.

“My back’s sore. It’s nothing. Really.”

“You’re sure--”

Nasir waved at his brother and started walking to the bathroom. “Yeah, I’m sure.” He cleared his throat, entered the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. He quickly sank onto the floor, resting his back against the bathtub.

“How are you?” He asked.

“Fine.”

“Your arm hurt?”

“Not really. They gave me some strong painkillers.”

Nasir wondered if it was really the painkillers or if it was nerve damage.

“Should I have called?” Agron asked after a while.

“Yeah, no-- I mean you should have, yes. I’m not sure what to say.”

“Me neither.” There was another pause before Agron spoke again. “Were you with Castus?”

“No,” Nasir said almost harshly. If this was what Agron called to go over again maybe he shouldn’t have bothered answer.

“Sorry. I needed to hear it again.”

“You believe me now?”

Nasir was glad the bathtub was supporting him when he heard the answer.

“Yeah.”

“...And everything you said?” Nasir gripped the phone tighter.

“Was a load of fucking shit. You’re not any of those things.”

Nasir closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. He really wanted to call Agron an asshole again. “I can’t forget that,” he said instead.

“Can you forgive me?”

Nasir rubbed the back of his neck, which chose that time to start cramping, due in no small part to the tension that kept running higher in his body over the course of this conversation.

_You can’t die hating me._

“Yeah,” he said. “I think so.”

“You think?”

Nasir thought back to what Agron had said, how angry it had made him, and all the insults he’d yelled at Agron, if only in his head. And then he thought about how Agron must have felt.

“I do.”

“Thank you.” The relief in Agron’s voice was palpable.

Nasir was, again, at a loss as to what he was supposed to say. Could they really try this again? Did he want to?

He recalled Agron lying in the hospital bed, tired and pale. He remembered him staring at him and telling him he loved him.

“What do we do now?” Nasir asked.

“Do you want to be with me?”

There was only the briefest hesitation. “Yeah.”

“Seems pretty clear then.”

Nasir stared straight ahead but didn’t see anything. “Yeah,” he said. “It does.”

 

Crixus woke after a week, fully cognizant, with no intellectual deficit. He was just as he had been, which the doctors were calling a miracle and crediting Nasir and Spartacus for doing their part to keep his blood flowing. When they’d visited him at the hospital, Naevia had hugged both of them and Crixus had shook his hand. When Nasir pointed out that Agron had told him what to do, Crixus had grudgingly shaken his hand too but told him not to get used to it.

From there… Nasir didn’t know. He was taking things one day at a time, between the law suit, and both his academic and personal life, it was almost more than he could handle. At class, he found it hard to concentrate and information filtered out of his mind. He had to ask for an incomplete and extra time to finish his work. He learned from Agron that he’d done the same, though with his broken arm he had more of an excuse, in Nasir’s opinion anyway.

He and Agron talked every day. Sometimes they met up in person and the first time had been as awkward as Nasir had imagined, full of long silences as they ran out of a subject. It didn’t flow like it used to. Nasir came away from that thinking that it wasn’t going to work. They were just kidding themselves thinking they could get past what happened but Agron wanted to try again and the next time was better and the time after that.

Nasir had gotten his stitches out that day. He looked in the mirror, examining the scar on his face before rolling up his shirt and staring at the scar there as well-- long and jagged. At least the one on his face looked more like an interesting decoration with some story behind it. Maybe he could say he got it in a knife fight and see how many people believed him.

He was walking back to his dorm when the phone rang. Early for Agron but he wasn’t going to complain.

“You’ll have to call back in twenty minutes,” Nasir said by way of greeting. “I’m busy stripping off my clothes for a shower.”

“Come to my place and take a shower.” Agron joked back.

Nasir laughed.

“Or just come to my place.” Agron continued.

Nasir’s smile died.

“If you want to.” Agron added quickly.

“...Yeah, sure. The stitches are out so you should see my new face.”

“I’m sure it’s better than your old face.”

“I can’t tell if you’re flattering me or insulting me.” Nasir opened the door to his dorm.

“Both?” Agron laughed.

Nasir grinned. “Dick.”

“Want it?”

There was no pause this time. “Yes, please.”

 

Nasir brought his backpack along with him to Agron’s house, packed only with a few essentials for the overnight stay though absent a shirt because he didn’t think either of them would mind starting their collection again.

As soon as Agron answered the door he inspected Nasir’s face, first with his eyes and then with his hand, running his thumb down the scar on Nasir’s cheek.

“Not bad,” was his verdict as he took his hand away from Nasir’s face only to press his lips to Nasir’s.

Nasir returned the kiss, deepening it and winding his arms around Agron’s waist. Agron sucked at Nasir’s lower lip, before holding it between his teeth and pulling, drawing forth a pleased moan from Nasir.

Agron released him. “Can I see your other scar?”

“Let me inside first.” Nasir let go of Agron while the man took a step back. Nasir closed the door behind him and as soon as it was shut he let his backpack drop and took off his shirt.

Agron smiled. “Definitely not bad.” His fingers traced the uneven line of marred tissue on Nasir’s side.

Nasir pulled at Agron’s shirt. He and Agron fumbled with it but it kept getting stuck on the sling on his arm.

“I’ll take it off,” Agron started to pull his sling over his head.

“Agron, don’t--”

But it was already off and he slid his arm out through it. The cast had taken some getting used to and he would have to stay used to it for another few weeks. That was harder to do what with Gannicus drawing dicks all over it after Agron had passed out when they were all together.

What followed after was almost comical as Agron got his shirt stuck with it half off. It covered his head and he flailed a bit, the hard lines of his abs exposed until Nasir helped him out, and then his entire torso was exposed as well.

“Don’t laugh,” Agron said once he saw Nasir’s face.

“I’m not laughing.” But Nasir was grinning.

“I know that look.”

“You did look ridiculous.”

“You know when you look ridiculous?” Agron stepped forward, forcing Nasir back against the door.

“When?”

“When you have my dick in you.” Agron leaned in and, with one hand, attempted to get Nasir’s jeans off. “Ridiculously sexy and pleased when I’m fucking you.”

“That’s different from ridiculous.” Nasir waited for Agron to make progress with the button on his jeans but, upon realizing it wasn’t happening, he brushed Agron’s hand away and undid it himself.

“This is why you got the good grade in English.”

“I got a C in English.” Nasir laughed as he shoved his jeans down his legs and stepped out of them.

“Yeah, better than me.”

Agron tugged Nasir’s boxers down as well. Nasir didn’t bother helping him, letting him manage on his own with just the one hand. He was too preoccupied unbuttoning Agron’s jeans, undoing the zipper, and feeling him. Agron shuddered but Nasir didn’t linger, instead pulling down both jeans and boxers smoothly.

After getting his own boxers off, Nasir pressed his body against Agron’s. His chest bumped against Agron’s arm but the cast buffered it and he was careful not to put too much weight on it. They kissed again and Nasir pushed his hips forward to rub his cock against Agron’s thighs. He reached between them and curled his hand around Agron’s cock, giving it a firm stroke that had Agron gripping Nasir’s shoulders.

“Fuck. Do you know how long it’s been?”

“Almost three months?” Nasir asked, not entirely sure of the answer for Agron.

“Jesus, yes. Three fucking months. I really missed fucking you.”

Nasir was still not going to give Agron tips on how to talk dirty to your partner. Some causes were utterly lost.

“Bed?” He suggested, letting go of Agron’s cock.

Agron groaned. “Couch?”

“Lube.” Nasir reminded. He was never going to go without, particularly not without Agron for a partner.

Agron swore. “Bed.” He agreed.

While both of them could agree that they should move, it was harder for them to separate. Agron kept diving back in for another kiss and Nasir eventually had to give him a gentle push back until they started to make progress in getting to Agron’s bedroom.

When they reached the bed, Agron was the one to push Nasir-- down onto it, following him. He placed his arm on the mattress beside Nasir’s body, rested his knees between Nasir’s spread legs, and--

Promptly fell onto Nasir when he lost his balance.

“You’re crushing me.” Nasir gasped.

“Sorry.” Agron rolled onto his side and, unfortunately, given the size of the bed, fell off. “Shit!”

“Agron!” Nasir pushed himself up and peered over the bed. “Are you--”

Agron sat up. “Fine. How about you be on top this time?”

“Alright.” Nasir got up, waited for Agron to lay back on the bed, and then climbed on top of him. He straddled Agron’s thighs and rested his hands on his chest. “Better?”

“Yes. Much better.” Agron grinned. “Now where were we?”

“Getting lube.” Nasir bent over Agron and kissed him. He shifted his hips, rubbing his ass against Agron’s cock until he felt it harden beneath him. He pulled away from Agron’s lips. “Maybe you want me to fuck you?”

“No, after that my dick wants to be inside you right now.”

“I always knew you thought with your dick.”

Nasir pushed himself up so he could grab the lube and a condom from the nightstand drawer. He looked at Agron’s arm, trapped in a cast.

“Should I do this myself?” He asked, after rolling the condom over Agron’s cock.

That caught Agron’s attention. “Yourself?”

“Mhm.” Nasir slicked his fingers with the lube and sat back, toward the end of the bed, between Agron’s feet. “Ever watched before?”

“No.” Agron admitted. “Can’t I--”

“No. Watch.” Nasir leaned back and spread his legs as far as he could before slipping a finger inside of himself. He looked at Agron’s reaction, entranced at first, and then increasingly frustrated.

That was not part of the plan.

“Just watch.” Nasir pushed his finger deeper inside.

“I want to--”

Oh fuck, he was seeing an impatient man-child who couldn’t keep his hands to himself. How could he forget that?

“Agron, watch.”

Agron didn’t have much choice and he lay there as Nasir prepared himself. Nasir bit his lip. He sighed. He moaned a little and put on a show for Agron as a second finger joined the first and by the time the third was inside, Agron was stroking himself.

“Do you want my fingers to be yours?”

“Fuck, you know I do.”

“Can you imagine them?”

“Nasir, for fuck’s sake, can I fuck you already?”

Nasir’s sigh was less out of pleasure and more the realization that Agron’s filthy mouth was going to stay firmly entrenched in swear words and not anything that would make Nasir shiver. But that was all right. Nasir loved that mouth anyway.

“Yes, you can.” Nasir removed his fingers and crawled back over Agron, pausing to bite his thigh, and then his stomach.

“Up here,” Agron said.

He grabbed Nasir’s arm and pulled him up, then buried his hand in Nasir’s hair and pushed him down as he rose up. Agron latched onto Nasir’s throat, sucking hard at his flesh.

“Agron…” Nasir moaned.

Agron licked up Nasir’s throat. “Are you going to ride me now?”

“Yes.” After one last nip to his neck, Nasir sat back. He reached behind him and took Agron’s cock in his hand, guiding it to his entrance and sliding back onto it.

Agron grasped Nasir’s hip with his hand. He rocked his hips up and Nasir sucked in a breath, releasing it in a sharp hiss.

“All right?” Agron asked.

“ _Yes._ ” Nasir welcomed the burn, even if it took a minute to relax around Agron. He brought his hips down, bringing Agron in further and--

Oh, that could be a problem.

He kept going anyway, harder and faster, and Agron kept thrusting into him each time Nasir came down on him but…

“Ow. Ow, I can’t.” Nasir pushed off of Agron and sat back, putting his hand over his side.

Agron sat up, jaw slack, and stared at him. “You _can’t_?”

“My side hurts and my back is…”

“Oh, you’re fucking kidding me.” Agron lay back on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling. “No, alright. This is what we’re going to do.

He rolled onto his left side. “O.K., come here.”

There was just barely enough space for Nasir to lie down next to him and if they were going to try anything he wondered if he was going to be crushed against the wall.

“Are you sure--”

“Fuck yes, I’m sure! Come here.”

After one last skeptical look, Nasir lay between Agron and the wall. As soon as he was down, Agron pressed his face into his neck, picking up where he’d left off before Nasir’s attempt at riding him.

Agron bit down hard enough that Nasir was sure he’d see an imprint of his teeth the next morning when he looked in the mirror. He reached back and grabbed Agron’s thigh, squeezing hard.

“Get me in you,” Agron said.

Nasir let out a soft noise. He let go of Agron’s thigh and grabbed his cock, pressing it once again outside of him. Agron’s hips buck forward, bringing them together again.

Agron gave him a brief reprieve, allowing him to get used to him again, with gentle thrusts. Gentle thrusts that grew harder each time until eventually, Nasir realized he was being pushed forward so hard with each snap of Agron’s hips that he had to brace himself against the wall lest he be shoved into it.

He gasped. Agron was grunting, not into his ear but into his neck as he kept kissing him.

“Nasir…”

Nasir couldn’t reach back and grasp Agron but his hand on the wall gave him the perfect leverage to push back as Agron thrust into him. Even after months apart, they quickly fell into synchrony.

The tension pulled him apart. Each time Agron brushed Nasir’s prostate, his breaths came harder until he was hissing with each exhale.

“Love when you do that. Love you.”

Nasir closed his eyes. It only took a few more thrusts before he’d spilled over the edge, coming to an almost violent climax that caused every muscle to wind tight before relaxing as he melted back into Agron. Agron let out a cry from the back of his throat as he followed. Nasir reached back, grabbing Agron’s ass and holding him still, inside of him, while Agron’s hips jerked forward as he came.

They lay there, still and together and, a secret romantic part of Nasir felt, complete. Agron’s lips grazed Nasir’s neck again and Nasir smiled.

“How was that?”

“The best fuck of my life.” Agron said, glossing over the disasters that had been their first attempts at it.

“Not a pity fuck?” Nasir asked but he ran his hand along the curve of Agron’s ass to take the edge out of his words.

“No. Best fuck of my life.”

Agron pulled away, getting up onto his feet, taking the condom off, and tossing it into the trash. Then, naked, he grabbed his phone from his desk. He tapped it a few times and Nasir, now lying on his back, wondered what the hell he was doing.

“Here.” Agron handed the phone to Nasir. It was set to video but not recording. “Here, I’ll say it.”

“Say what?” Nasir asked, taking the phone from Agron.

“That you’re the best fuck of my life. Get it on video.”

Nasir snorted. “Agron--”

“I’m serious. I’ll send it to you.”

“What if I put it up on youtube?”

“Good.” Agron grinned. “I want everyone to know.”

“You’re insane.”

“Come on, aim it here.” Agron pointed at his face.

Nasir didn’t know why he was going along with this, but he did as Agron said and then pressed record. “Alright.”

Agron grinned wider, cheeks dimpling. “Nasir is the best fuck of my life.”

Nasir had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing and the phone shook before he stopped the recording. He tossed the phone back on the desk. “Come here.”

Agron sat down on the bed beside Nasir, who pulled him into his arms and kissed him.

 

Agron was curled up around Nasir the next morning, practically plastered to him. His arm was even over him although it was in a cast and felt hard against Nasir’s skin. Nasir lay there for a while but there were some pressing concerns, namely his need to use the bathroom and grab some food, so eventually he gently moved Agron’s arm off of his body and crawled out from beside him. He paused to stare down at him. Much as he wanted to, he didn’t kiss him lest he should wake up. Instead he got up, realized that his clothes (and backpack) were by the front door, and grabbed some of Agron’s clothes instead. That is, he grabbed a very big shirt and hoped that would cover enough of him if he ran into Spartacus.

When he opened Agron’s door he found their clothes in a neat pile on the floor, along with a note. Nasir took it.

_Agron, pick up after yourself like an adult. Nasir, if he can’t do that, pick up for him._

Nasir smiled.

“What’s that?”

Nasir looked back. Agron got up out of bed and walked over to Nasir. “I can see your ass.”

“Good thing Spartacus brought my clothes.” Nasir held out the note.

Agron took it, looked at it, then tossed it over his shoulder. “What does he think you are, my wife?”

“What about your responsible boyfriend?”

“I’m responsible.” Agron insisted.

Nasir laughed and grabbed Agron’s ass. “You’re an irresponsible, hot headed little shit and I love you for it.”

“Good,” Agron smiled. “Because I love you too.” He touched Nasir’s chin.

Nasir kissed him.


End file.
